


Wishing You Well

by itsmorgan



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Pretty Woman Fusion, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Oral Sex, Prostitution, prostitute katniss, rich peeta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-18
Updated: 2014-07-08
Packaged: 2018-01-19 21:30:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 26,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1484755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsmorgan/pseuds/itsmorgan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katniss is a prostitute trying to make a living for her family. Peeta is a self made millionaire trying to win the affection of his abusive mother. They come to need each other more than they will ever realize.<br/>*Based off of Pretty Woman.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> NEW STORY, YAY! Pretty Women is one of my favorite movies so I thought I would combine two of my favorite things, Julia Roberts and Everlark romance! Hope you like it.

**Peeta’s POV**

                I curse the built in GPS system of this foreign model manual car. My business partner, Alma Coin, had taken care of my car rental as well as hotel accommodations and I specifically told her nothing flashy and something I can drive. This vehicle is both flashy and I cannot drive it. The person at the dealership gave a crash course on this ‘beauty’ but I have forgotten everything he’s tried to teach me and I’m stuck in second gear traveling down Sunset Boulevard.

It doesn’t matter though, because I’m too lost to even focus on the amount of people I’m pissing off behind me. I can’t find the road I’m supposed to turn on to get to my hotel, I’m hot, I’m starving, I’m in a place I’ve never been to before, and this car is pissing me off. It takes all I have in me not to just stop in the middle of the road but veer off onto the berm to try and reconfigure the GPS system.

“Whatcha’ looking for?” a female’s voice brought me out of my concentration.

I look up at the olive skin beauty with silver eyes and a short blonde bob. She’s absolutely stunning, even in her soft orange bralet, black pencil skirt that is pulled up past her belly button and tall boots. “Uh,” is the only thing I can manage to get out of my mouth.

“I charge a hundred bucks an hour. It’s extra for all that fetish shit.”

“Oh I’m sorry; I’m just looking for directions to get to the Ritz. My GPS isn’t working and I can’t drive this stupid thing, I’m pretty sure it was made in Korea or something.”

“England,” she corrects me.

“What?”

“Aston Martin’s are made in England, not Korea.”

“Do you know how to drive this then?”

“A stick shift, yeah it’s not hard.”

I ponder a moment, I can’t believe I’m about to suggest what I’m going to suggest. “I’ll pay you three hundred bucks if you drive me through the closet fast food place then take me to my hotel.”

“Deal, put the car in park,” she says without questioning, but I’m guessing in her profession you don’t ask a lot of questions.

“I don’t know how.”

She laughs at me and reaches her arm through the window and grabs the gear shift and puts the car into park after instructing me to press down on the clutch, or the third peddle. I step out and pass her at the front of the car, quickly switching places.

The girl is already cutting people off and speeding through a yellow light, taking a sharp turn before I get my seat belt on.

“I’m Peeta,” I tell her to formally introduce myself because we kind of skipped over that part.

“What?”

“My name is Peeta, Peeta Mellark.”

“Oh, I’m Rose.”

She doesn’t look like a Rose; it’s probably her stage name, or street name for that matter. Rose takes me through the drive-thru of an In-N-Out Burger joint that I’ve never had before but she says that the hamburgers are pretty decent and she likes the shakes. So I order a burger, fry and a strawberry shake and after much convincing Rose orders the same.

“I can pay for it, I have money,” She tries to tell me after I tell her to park in the parking lot so we can both eat and not get burger all over the black leather upholstery.

“It’s not about money; it’s just me being nice because you’re doing me a huge favor.”

“In that case, keep being nice and I’ll throw in a free blow job,” she winks.

I choke on a French fry. “If you don’t mind me asking, what made you become a—?” I cannot find an appropriate word to call a hooker without me sounding like I’m looking down on her.

“A hooker?”

She said it, not me. “Yeah.”

“I do mind,” she tells me.

“Oh sorry,” I mutter.

“How did you get your hands on a car like this if you can’t even drive it?”

“I’m in town from New York City for a business trip and my partner here took care of my rental car and hotel reservations. How come you know how to drive this beast?”

“My dad was a car enthusiast, and I was a big daddy’s girl so he taught me everything he knew. By the time I was twelve I could take a part an entire engine then put it back together.”

“That’s so cool,” I say in amazement. My dad never taught me anything like that. His main focus was the family bakery.

“Really, most guys think that’s weird that I know more about cars than them. It hurts their ego.”

“I left my ego back in the dealership parking lot, so you got nothing to worry about with me,” I grin.

Rose pulls us up to the valet and puts the car in park.

“Would you like to come inside?” I ask suddenly.

Rose smirks and nods her head. She thinks I’m inviting her up to my room to have sex, but I’m not. I actually have no clue why I invited her up, probably because I’m lonely and she’s the first person I’ve talked to that hasn’t been associated with my business.

We step out and hand over the keys to the valet and I unbutton my suit jacket, shrugging it off and draping it around Rose’s shoulder’s to cover her fully. “They have a certain kind of dress code,” I explain my actions.

Rose stands close behind me as I check in at the front desk. The receptionist hands over a keycard and bids me a goodnight after offering Rose and me a final smile.

We ride the elevator to the pent house and enter the over the top suite in silence. We both get a bearing for our surroundings, a full kitchen, dining room, living room, half bath, and finally the master bedroom and adjoining bath. This is where Rose smirks and attaches her lips to my pressure point on my neck. I sigh because it feels good and I let her continue, unbuttoning a few of the buttons on my dress shirt and continuing working her lips down my skin.

“Rose,” I say hoarsely.

“Hm?” she asks against my skin.

“We’re not having sex.”

“Just a blow job then?” she asks and I shake my head no, she doesn’t understand.

“I didn’t invite you up here for any sexual favors.”

“Well this isn’t the type of hotel you kill people in, too many cameras,” Rose points out.

“I’m not going to kill you,” I laugh out. “I have way too much work for that. I guess I just liked hearing about you talk about your dad and stuff and decided that you’d be good company while I finish up some papers.”

“Really?” Rose asks in disbelief.

“Really,” I confirm. “I just have a few e-mails to reply to and some things to sign. It shouldn’t be long. I’ll double what I was going to pay you before.”

“Deal, but I’m not going to talk about myself.”

“That’s fine. Talk about whatever you want to talk about.”

I take a seat on the plush chair and prop my legs up on the matching ottoman, dragging my expensive laptop out of its bag to reply to some e-mails. One of the e-mails being to Coin about needing a new car, or car service because there is no way I’ll set foot in that death trap of a vehicle again. Rose starts out sitting upright on the couch and rambles on about the suite, having never even set foot in something so fancy. I chuckle; she should see my pent house back in New York. Eventually she grows restless and starts a thorough adventure, exploring every part of every room not leaving a single inch uninvestigated.

“Holy shit!” I hear Rose exclaim. “I can swim in the tub!”

“You can take a dip in it if you’d like. It would be a shame to not get used while I’m here,” I call from my spot in the living room.

I hear the faucet running a moment later and a body gliding into the water. Something inside me makes me want to forget my work and join Rose in the bath, but I refrain. I’m not here to engage in relations with a prostitute, I’m here for work; to take down a shady business duo and sell the name for profit. It’ not a line of work that makes me a lot of friends, but I make a fair amount of money to make up for it, and I’ve become my mother’s favorite after years of abuse so that’s always a plus.

The water shuts off sometime later followed by a girly laugh and a splash. “Peeta, come join me!”

I almost get up, almost. “These e-mails aren’t going to write themselves.”

There is another slosh of water and a naked Rose appears in the doorway of the master bedroom. Her body is stunning, long toned legs, tight stomach, prefect round breasts, and something different. Her hair isn’t in the blonde bob I met her in, instead raven color waves fall over her shoulders and frame her breasts. I’m glad that my laptop is situated over my groin so Rose cannot see the excitement she’s causing me.

“I like the dark hair better,” I try to tell her in an even tone.

“Thanks,” she says shyly.

My cell phone rings, breaking the sexual tension currently happening between Rose and myself. I look at the screen, Alma Coin. I groan to myself, I don’t want to talk to her about work this late in the evening.

“Hello?” I answer it anyways because if I don’t I’ll have hell to pay when I see her in the morning.

“Snow and his partner Crane want to have dinner with you. They don’t want it to feel work related so would you like me to set up something with one of my assistants?” Coin doesn’t even bother to offer me a greeting; it’s always straight to business with her.

“Actually,” I say stealing a look up at Rose. “I have someone. Just e-mail me the time and make sure you send a car because I am not driving whatever you lined up for me.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m positive. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

I hang up my cell phone without waiting for a goodbye, I won’t get one anyways. Rose has disappears back into the bedroom and comes out wearing one of the complimentary white robes. I watch as she comes to sit on her haunches right in front of me, grabbing my laptop and placing it on the ottoman she moved out of the way. I allow her to unbuckle my belt, followed by unbuttoning my jeans and working down the zipper until my partial erect manhood is free from its confines.  

I throw my head back against the back of the chair once I feel Rose’s hot breath against my cock. “Oh Rose,” I moan out as she teases the tip with sweet kisses.

“Katniss,” she corrects me.

“What?”

“My real name is Katniss,” Katniss says before enveloping her mouth around the first half of my length, sheathing her lips over her teeth and hallowing her cheeks and sucking while simultaneously working her gripped hand up and down the bottom part of my shaft to ensure she doesn’t take in too much.

“Katniss,” I moan out again, running my fingers through her dark, damp hair. Her name feels just as good on my lips as her lips on me.

I try to keep my eyes open to watch her work, bobbing up and down my length, sometimes stopping to fondle my balls or tease the tip with her tongue, but after a while it becomes too much and I throw my head back again and warn Katniss that I’m not going to last much longer, but she sucks me into her mouth deeper until I come, hitting the back of her throat in three long strands.

“Holy shit,” I breathe out and watch as Katniss wipes the rest of me from her chin with the sleeve on her robe. “That was incredible.”

“Yeah, well it’s my job,” she says carelessly.

I try not to think about how many guys Katniss has been with and instead ask her what I wanted to before she treated me with a wonderful blow job. “So Katniss, how would you like to make some more money?”

“How much more money?”

“Well how much do you generally make in a week?”   

“Anywhere between a thousand and two,” she shrugs.

“How about I give you four thousand for being my date to some of the fundraisers and dinners I have to go to this week.”

“Seriously, why?”

“Because you’re fun to talk to and I need someone completely unattached to everything. What do you say?”

Again Katniss doesn’t take much into consideration, money is money and she nods her head. “Great, you should get some sleep,” I point to the master bedroom. “We have a busy day tomorrow and you’ll need to go out and buy some new clothes.”

“Will you join me?”

“Maybe, I have to look over some paperwork.”

I watch as Katniss stands, dropping the robe and having it pool around her feet before sauntering to the bedroom. I want to follow her, but again I stop myself. I need to be able to shake her hand at the end of this business deal and fly back to New York, and it’s already becoming a difficult thing to do.


	2. Chapter Two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No smut in this one but I'll add some in the next chapter. I've decided that I'm going to try and update every Wednesday so make sure you watch out for next week! Come find me on tumblr at tributeforthewolfpack

**Katniss’ POV**

I woke up the next morning after having the strangest dream. An angelic man with a type of bread for a name had offered me four grand for my company for the entire week; four grand plus money for shopping and a week’s stay at a swanky hotel that I had no business being in. I stretched, my body gliding over the silky sheets, too bad it was only a dream.

I shot straight up, dislodging the sheet and duvet from my naked chest and looked around. It wasn’t a dream, not at all. The spot next to me is cold and doesn’t seem like Peeta ever came to bed. I gave him head as an initiative to join me in the bedroom for a late night romp but had obviously fallen asleep waiting for him to finish whatever work needs to be done.

When Peeta offered me the large sum of money, I had just assumed that sex would be a part of it; I am a prostitute after all. What if I didn’t do a good job giving Peeta a blow job and he was just being nice? I’m fairly new in the business, about a month in, and I’m not that experienced in everything sexual. I know my basics, my roommate Johanna, taught me all she could. She’s been on the streets for almost five years now having started right after her eighteenth birthday.

My thoughts are interrupted by the wonderful smell of breakfast. I debate whether I should venture out of the bedroom or if I should wait until Peeta comes in and asks me to do something for him. My curiosity gets the best of me and I’m bounding off the bed, only stopping to pick up the robe that I dropped when I entered the bedroom last night and shrug it on, then set out to find the luxurious smell. Maybe if I give Peeta head again, and if do better, he’ll give me some.

“Morning sleepy head,” Peeta smiles at me with a frying pan and spatula in hand. He’s bare-chested with pajama bottoms hung low on his hips. Peeta is quite a beautiful piece of work, like art; perfectly sculpted out of the finest material.

“Morning, what time is it?” I ask suddenly afraid that I’ve overslept.

“A bit after nine,” he says nonchalantly. “I was going to wake you once I finished with breakfast. I have a few meetings and have to leave soon so I will not be able to go shopping with you today. However I have arranged for a very special person to accompany to while you’re out,” he grins as if he’s hiding something.

“Oh, okay. Thank you,” I say as I awkwardly rock back and forth on the balls of my feet.

I take a seat at the breakfast bar and stare at Peeta’s toned back while he busies himself with all of the pots and pans that clutter the large stove. The silence is weird at first but I quickly get lost in Peeta’s movements and how fluidly he moves about the kitchen as if it’s second nature.

“I wasn’t sure what you liked so I went ahead and made some of my favorites,” Peeta said while transferring mounds of different types of food onto different plates and ushers me into the dining room where he lays them out in front of a seat that is intended to be mine.

“I’ve never seen so much food in my life,” I say in awe.

Peeta laughs lightly but doesn’t say anything as he fills my champagne flute with equal parts orange juice and champagne and sits next to me at the head of the table.

“Where should I start?” I ask for his suggestion.

“Well these,” he points to a pile of buns sitting close to me, “are cheese buns and they are good anytime of the day. I suggest those, especially since they just came out of the oven and still soft.”

I take a bite of one and moan loudly getting a cheeky grin from Peeta. “You made these?”

Peeta nods. “Yeah, my dad owned a bakery so it’s in my blood.”

I finish the cheese bun in another two bites then begin filling my plate with an assortment of breakfast foods. I engorge myself, not able to stop myself from continuing to fill my mouth even after my stomach begins to feel full.

Peeta has already excused himself to shower and prepare himself for his meeting when there is a knock on the door. I don’t think Peeta heard it, so I take it upon myself to answer it.

Behind the door stands an eccentric woman, and that’s saying a lot coming from the business I’m in. She’s dressed in the brightest pink skirt with matching blazer and a frilly, patterned top poking out from underneath. Her shoes are incredibly high and pointed, and I’m pretty sure they would be classified as a deadly weapon if you tried to board a plane.

“You must be Katniss,” she says in a sophisticated sing-song voice. “I’m Effie.”

I let her in just as Peeta comes strolling out of the master bedroom looking very dapper in his crisp grey suit. “Oh Effie, you’re here.”

“I’ve just arrived. You look absolutely dashing. Is that something that I picked out?”

“I’m afraid not, this is from a new store called Cinna. I’d like you to take Katniss there today, tell them that Peeta sent you. He’ll be expecting you. I’m running behind so I’ll see you for our dinner tonight at seven, please be ready and waiting for me,” Peeta kisses my cheek goodbye before bidding Effie a farewell.

I get dressed and when Effie see’s my outfit, she’s disgusted, exclaiming how nobody with a brain should be wearing such an outfit. I tempt to lengthen my skirt by pulling on it both ways but it doesn’t work and Effie lets out a large huff before ushering me into the elevator.

Effie has a town car waiting for us at the front of the hotel. The driver turns around and gives me somewhat of a condescending smile. “Hello Sweetheart.”

“That’s Haymitch,” Effie explains, “the drunken buffoon that he is.”

“Not drunk, just slightly buzzed,” Haymitch laughs and puts the car into drive.

I buckle my seatbelt and pray to all of the Gods that we make wherever we’re headed in one piece. I know that Peeta and I don’t exactly know each other but how in the world could he expect someone to get in the back of a car with a drunk behind the wheel? He must not know, and I’ll certainly be telling him later, granted if I live.

It turns out Haymitch is a good driver, better than I Peeta was the first time I saw him coming down the street barely in second gear. We pull up in front of a plain looking building front compared to the rest of the designer stores on the street. Haymitch parks in the middle of the street only to get out opening the door for Effie and myself then open the store door before getting back into the town car and driving away.

A dark skinned lady with bleach blonde curls greets us. “Welcome to Cinna, I’m Portia is there anything I can help you with today?” I can see her eyeing my clothing then giving me a tight smile.

“Yes,” Effie uses her ridiculous sing-song voice. “Peeta Mellark sent us; he says that you’d be expecting us.”

“Oh yes of course,” Portia excused herself to the backroom that is blocked off by thick gold curtains. She emerges moments later with another dark skinned man trailing behind her dressed in simple clothing compared to Portia’s tight body-con dress and shoes that match Effie’s.

“Ms. Trinket it’s wonderful to meet you, I’m Cinna,” the man takes Effie’s dainty hand in his, raising it to his lips to kiss knuckles. “Peeta told me you’d be stopping in today. He says that he has someone special that requires my best work for tonight. You must be the lovely Katniss.”

I giggle girlishly as Cinna kisses my knuckles as well. Up close I can see the gold flecks in his brown eyes and the thin line of gold eyeliner that makes those flecks pop. “I don’t know anything about fashion but the suit that you made Peeta is lovely.”

“Thank you, Portia helped me a lot on it,” he motioned behind him and Portia smiled bashfully. “She has a wonderful eye for men’s fashion. I on the other hand, find that my best work is women’s wear, especially if the woman that is wearing my design is a beautiful as you. Come, I’ll show you some of my lately creations.”

I follow Cinna behind the gold curtain and into his ‘studio’. At first I am daunted by all of the half-finished clothing pieces that are sewn on mannequins and the story high wall that is littered with drawings and fabric swatches. We enter another room, much smaller and closed off from the rest of the studio. Inside are dozens of outfits anywhere from ball gowns to the undergarments that go under it.

“I’ve been working on this collection for a long time now but every model I try it on, it doesn’t look how I envision it and when Peeta e-mailed me a quick description of you and claimed that you needed a new wardrobe for some of the charity events you’ll be attending, I couldn’t help but get hopeful.”

I run a piece of fabric from one of the blouses between my fingers, it feels so luxurious. “It’s beautiful. I don’t know how these wouldn’t look good on anybody.”

“Thank you. Would you like to try some on?”

I spend a good hour being stripped out of one article of clothing and fitted for another but I don’t mind because everything is absolutely beautiful and Cinna is relaxing unlike Effie who fusses about everything. I can see why her driver drinks now.  I find a cocktail dress for tonight that doesn’t need any altering and looks like Cinna designed it for me in mind.

It’s a body forming dress with long sleeves and the neckline that just swoops down past the collarbone and has zero back to it and stops low mid-thigh. It’s layered in a fine lace that needs a magnifying glass to see the detail in a soft orange color. Most of the outfits are hues of red, yellows, and oranges with splashes of greens and blues, Cinna came up with the designs one night by the campfire and became inspired by the fire and wilderness around it.

“You’re my Girl on Fire,” Cinna smiles as he steps back to admire his work.

I look at myself in the mirror and my eyes widen. I’m pretty. I’ve never felt pretty before, always plain and sometimes rather ugly. I barely recognize myself, I don’t have the normal scowl I’m known for plastered on my face. I’m smiling, glowing, feminine. I don’t look like the hooker that I really am. I look like I fit in at the Ritz, even if it’s just for a little while.

 

A prep team that go by the ridiculous names of Flavius, Octavia, and Venia help me get ready for the dinner tonight with Peeta and his business associates. They scrub me down with different rubs, lather me with rich butters, highlight my key features with different make up, and set my hair in loose curls, giving me the illusion that I always look like this.

Effie had given me a crash course on dining etiquette when I asked what the differences between the forks were for. She acted as if I asked her who was on the dollar bill, or something with just as much common sense as that. My cutlery consists of plastic and my fingers, not different pronged and sized forks.

I’m early so I wait at the bar for Peeta to arrive, hopefully soon because I’m famished; I had forgotten to eat the rest of the day. I notice him before he notices me. I watch as Peeta scans the room and when his eyes finally meet mine, he looks star struck.

“Katniss, you look stunning,” he breathes out in awe. “Not that I didn’t think you looked before but wow,” he corrects himself.

He’s still wearing his grey suit, but he’s changed his tie and pocket square to match the color of my dress. “And you’re still looking very handsome.”

Peeta laces our fingers together and guides me outside where a familiar town car waits for us. Haymitch is waiting inside with that same grin he had before.”

“Evening Sweetheart,” he tells me then greets Peeta. “Boy.”

“Hello Haymitch, did you have a nice afternoon?” Peeta asked politely once we pulled off of hotel property.

“Fuck no,” Haymitch sneers. “You don’t pay me enough to be that witch’s personal driver.”

“She’s not that bad,” Peeta tries to say.

I fail at stifling a laugh and Peeta looks at me, Haymitch finding my eyes in the rearview mirror.

“What?” Peeta smiles.

“I agree with Haymitch,” I say quietly.

“She’s very good at keeping me looking good in the public eye, so I have no problem with her.”

Peeta steers the conversation into what I need to know about the clients we’ll be meeting tonight. From what I gather, Snow and his partner Crane are business enemies with Peeta’s partner Alma Coin, who has been trying to liquidate their companies for years. Peeta says that Snow and Crane are shady business men and the companies they own are full of dirty money and Peeta wants to expose them, then buy their company and sell the pieces for profit. But that doesn’t sound very clean either, he’s just thinking about the paycheck at the end of the road and not the thousands of people that will be out of a job if things go his way. I don’t tell him my opinions though, I’m just here because Peeta needs someone disposable on his arm, and you can’t get any more disposable than someone that sells their body for a quick buck.

This is the type of restaurant that doesn’t even showcase their prices because it’s so expensive.  But I don’t have to worry about the menu because Peeta has ordered for us before we even got here. Even with my new exterior, I feel out of place. I can feel the tables of businessmen and socialites alike giving me disapproving looks from across the dimly lit room.

When the salad comes, I forget everything that Effie tried to teach me. “Which one is the salad fork?” I try to whisper to Peeta.

Seneca Crane, a man with a pattern shaved into his thick, black beard laughs from across the room. “That’s what I’m wondering,” he says and picks up a random fork to stab the dark pieces of lettuce. I can see Snow rolling his eyes in annoyance.

Peeta is itching to start talking business, we’ve had two courses and have only managed to talk about Peeta’s flight and which fork to use. “So, have you had a chance to go over the proposal?”

“I threw it away,” Snow says in a simple voice.

I thought Peeta was going to have an aneurysm. He clenched and unclenched his fists against his thighs while trying to maintain a straight face. “Why did you do that?” Peeta asks in a strangled voice.

“Because Mr. Mellark, I have a different proposal, one that could benefit the both of us quite nicely,” Snow gave Peeta a snake-like smile, twisted and cold.

“And what does this beneficial proposal pertain?” Peeta only looks slightly intrigued.

“I know that you have a business contract with Alma Coin that states various things about loyalty and commitment to one another, it’s very cute really, but I also know that is contract of sorts is going to be up for negotiation shortly. I also know that you and Ms. Coin have a very different view of how to get things done, am I right?”

“If you’re asking me to stop doing business with Alma and join you, I’ve got sorry news for you.”

“Maybe so but have a look over for yourself,” Crane magically produces a thick packet of paper. “I think you’ll find this to your benefit. It was a pleasure meeting you, Katniss.”

Snow and Crane stand, as do Peeta and I, bow their heads slightly and start for the exit without so much as a single glance back. I steal a look at Peeta who is fuming.

“Come on, we’re leaving,” Peeta takes me by the crook of my elbow, snatches the stack of papers and almost drags me out of the restaurant.

I try to make conversation in the car but Peeta won’t have at, only giving me one word answers or a sneer of hot breath. When we get to the hotel he tells me to go up to the hotel and I watch as he makes his way to the bar.

It’s well after midnight before I am startled back by Peeta stumbling into the bedroom. He toes off his dress shoes, pushing down his slacks and kicking them across the room, throws off his jacket, yanks his tie off of his neck before unbutton his shirt and crawling into bed in only his boxer briefs and white undershirt.

I can smell the alcohol on Peeta’s breath, he’s not drunk but if he had another drink or two he would be. He’s still mad, I can see it by the way he’s staring up at the ceiling and not taking notice in my black silk chemise with lace detailing and matching panties that I got from Cinna.

I don’t know why, but I hate seeing Peeta like this. I don’t even know this guy but the sight of seeing him upset is unsettling to me. “When I’m with a client, I don’t kiss them on the mouth,” I whisper to take his mind off of whatever he’s thinking about.

“Why not?”

“It’s too personal.”

“Sex is personal.”

“No it’s not, it’s a business transaction.”

“It’s sad that you think that.”

“I’m a prostitute, I have to think that, or I’ll get swallowed alive.”

Peeta goes quiet as if he’s mulling over what I’ve said. “Why did you become a prostitute? I mean I thought all hookers were on drugs or had pimps that beat them, you don’t look like the crack type or like you have a pimp.”

I don’t want to answer this question. I’ve never told anyone why I’ve gone into this business before, not even Johanna, and I tell her a lot. Some things are better left unshared, hidden and locked away in the darkest part of your mind where only your nightmares can reach them.

“You don’t have to tell me. I just want to get to know you better,” he offers.

“My name is Katniss Everdeen, I’m twenty-one, and I’m pretty good with a bow,” I tell him the three most basic facts about my existence.

“I’m Peeta Mellark, I’m twenty-eight, and I’m good at breaking apart businesses and selling the pieces for profit.”

“Don’t forget that you’re good in the kitchen,” I smile at the recent memory of all the wonderful food Peeta made me this morning; hopefully he does it again tomorrow.

“Yeah, can’t forget that,” he mutters.

We’re quiet again and Peeta goes back to thinking about whatever is bothering him and I’m back to thinking of ways I can make him forget.

“Peeta,” I whisper in the dark.

“Yeah?”

“You can use me to forget, if you want,” I offer him my body; the one thing I know will get him to forget no matter how brief.

So he does, rolling towards me and going straight for the skin on my neck, remembering that I don’t kiss on the lips, because Peeta is only a client and that would be too personal.


	3. Chapter Three.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter three. I don't own anything except for the spelling/grammar errors. Tell me what you guys think!

**Peeta’s POV**

Katniss’ body is magic. No, everything to Katniss is magic. It’s not just her tight little body that wiggles underneath mine, but the way her eyes darken with lust and how desire drips off of every moan, the way her nails dig into the flesh of my shoulders as I work myself in and out of her at alarming speed. I know that I’ll only last a few more minutes.

“I’m close,” I say as I snake my hand between our bodies to rub tight circles on her sensitive nub causing her to let a loud moan.

“Same,” she pants, bucking her hips to meet mine.

Soon Katniss is wildly thrashing beneath me, screwing her eyes shut and shouting my names in between slurs of obscenities. It’s enough to do me over, giving one last thrust of my hips, burying myself deep inside her and coming into the condom.

I used her body for my own selfish needs, to get my mind off of Snow and his clown side-kick Crane. I did manage to get my mind off of them, now my only concern is that Katniss views me as just another one of her clients that fucks her and leaves her. I planned on leaving her at the end of the week, but it was never in my intentions to fuck her.

“Sorry,” I grumble as I push away from her and make my way to the bathroom to deposit the condom in the trash.

“What are you sorry about?” Katniss asks.

I get a washcloth wet so she can clean up and hand it to her once I return to the room. “I didn’t want to have sex.”

Katniss snorts, “Kind of seemed like you did.”

“I mean I did, but I didn’t want to because you’re a prostitute.”

                That comes out wrong and Katniss takes immediate offense to it.  “If it’s because you think I’m dirty and you might ‘catch’ something from me, you’re wrong. I’m probably cleaner and safer than all the girls you’ve ever slept with. I get tested religiously, thank you very much.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” I rub my hands over my face, that didn’t even cross my mind once. “I just didn’t want you to think that I’m having sex with you because it’s your job. I’ll pay you extra though, if you want.”

I watch as Katniss shakes her head. “This is a business deal; I’m at your disposal. If you want me to dress up, put on a smile, and be on your arm for the night, I will. If you want sex or a quick blow off to let off steam, by all means,” Katniss moves her hands down her body as if she is showing it off.

I don’t want her thinking like that; it actually upsets me that she expects me to use her like that. But she’s right so I don’t put up an argument. Instead I crawl into bed, not bothering with putting clothes back on and pull Katniss close to me. I like snuggling after sex, but I don’t think Katniss does by the way I can feel her body tense against mine. Eventually she relaxes and only then am I able to fall asleep.

 

Despite going to bed around a quarter after two, I’m wide awake at six-thirty and have pancake and bacon on the table at seven. Katniss is still asleep in the middle of the bed, curled up like a kitten. I hate to wake her but we both have things that we need to do today. I have to deal with the shit that Snow pulled at dinner and Katniss has another date with Cinna.

“Katniss,” I kiss her temple. “It’s time to wake up.”

“No,” she grumbles into the pillow.

“I made pancakes and bacon,” I tempt her.

“Mmm,” Katniss’ cheeks lift in a smile. I can’t stop myself from bending over and kissing her cheek, she looks so peaceful and beautiful not to.

I leave Katniss shortly after I gotten her out of bed. I’m going to go see Alma today then tonight we’re going to a dinner party with good friends of mine. I was going to need a good party after the day I know I’ll be having and Finnick and his with Annie are known to throw lavish parties.

I walk straight into Alma’s office without bothering to knock or check with her assistant that is standing with his mouth agape behind me in attempts to correct my mistakes. Alma hates to be interrupted.

“I’ve been expecting you Peeta, how was dinner?” Alma asks from her mahogany desk.

“I think you know exactly how it went,” I huff and throw Snow’s proposal of sorts in front of her. 

“Yes, I expected that he’d try something like that on you,” she said as she briefly looked down at the stack of papers. “You can’t let them get to you Peeta, it’s what they want, to tear us a part and make us weak. Snow is threatened by power, how you can so easily get people to whatever you please with just a few simple words.”

I nod. She’s right; they just want to pin Alma and I against each other for their benefit. Coin begins speaking about needing to plan a retaliation, to prove to Snow and Crane that we’re not backing down and we plan to squash him into the ground. I don’t like the way she phrases it but that’s essentially what we’ll be doing. Once we’re, or I’m, because it’ll be me that’s taking them both down, they won’t have a leg to stand on.

 

**Katniss’ POV**

I twiddle my thumbs for the better half of the morning before I get a call saying that my ride is ready. I assumed that Effie would be waiting for me but when I got to the car it’s just Haymitch, looking his normal disheveled self.

“Morning Sweetheart,” Haymitch opens the car door for me. “Nice legs.”

I give him a scolding look before flattening out my skirt that is shorter in the front than in the back, it’s pulled up high enough that it doesn’t show any of my midriff that would have shown from my loose crop top. It’s the closest outfit that I thought resembled what I would normally wear. Not form fitting or flashy. Besides my shoes which are a loud green wedged sandal, I blend in.

Cinna just needs me to try on the things that he had to alter like taking in the bust and shortening the hemline. It doesn’t take more than an hour and by the time he’s done and Haymitch is asking where he should take me, I want to tell him anywhere but the hotel. It’s too quiet there without Peeta to talk to and there are only so many times I can take a dip in the giant tub before it grows old.

I suddenly get an idea and ramble off my address to Haymitch. I haven’t talked to Johanna since the night I got into Peeta’s car and if I don’t speak to her soon she’ll think he killed me.

                I ask Haymitch if he’d like to come in but he seems comfortable waiting for me in the car. “I’ll only be a minute,” I tell him.

He waves me off as I go to unlock my door. Johanna is passed out on the couch, a bowl of cereal sitting on the lopsided coffee table.

“Jo,” I whisper and shake her gently.

I watch as her eyes flutter open and when she sees that it’s me she pulls me into a tight hug.

“I was going to call the police, Brainless!” she yells. “You can’t just take off and not call.”

“I’m sorry,” I offer her.

“Where have you been?”

“You know the car I got into?”

“Yeah the flashy sports car?”

I nod my head. “Turns out he just needed directions and someone to drive a stick, so I took him where he needed to go. He asked me to come inside and I thought it was for sex, but he just wanted someone to talk to him while he worked.”

“That’s weird.”

“I didn’t think so. But he offered me a business deal; he’s going to pay me four thousand dollars for the entire week just to keep him company at fundraisers and stuff. And that’s not including the astronomical amount of money he’s spent on a new wardrobe for me, so I figure that once this is done we can sell the clothes and we’ll be set for a while.”

“Does he expect sex?”

“No. But I gave him a blow job just because I thought I had to the first night. Then last night he had a few drinks and we ended up having sex but he felt really bad afterwards. He didn’t want to make me feel like I had to have sex with him because it’s my job and he’s paying me, since he’s not paying me for the sex, only the company.”

“Damn, you’ve been doing this a few months and hit a grand slam and I’ve been doing this for a few years and all I get on a good night is a slap on the ass and maybe a gift card to the Olive Garden. Talk about luck.”

I never thought of myself as a lucky person, considering my past and all, but I guess when it comes to this, I am pretty lucky.

Johanna and I talk for a bit longer before I ask her if she’d like to get lunch with me but she declines, saying she already has plans. We say our goodbyes and I tell her I’ll see her at the end of the week before heading back outside to find Haymitch humming along with the music.

 

The prep team is waiting for me when I get back to the hotel and chat happily amongst themselves while I order something from room service. They’re talking about the party tonight, somehow they’ve gotten invites, and which is I guess a really big deal because only anyone who is anyone gets invited to Finnick Odair’s parties.

Since the styling team did most of the heavy re-makeover yesterday for the dinner I attended, there isn’t much prep work that needs to be done. Of course they still had to spend an hour putting different hair and styling up in a delicate braid that is pinned against my head. Octavia had said specifically that Peeta requested to do just the very basics when it came to make-up, which she was not pleased about because I have the perfect face for the harsh look.

My dress is another one from Cinna; long, tight and black. The sides are completely see through in a whimsical flame and lace design that starts the base of the dress and over the front of my hips and the sides of my breasts, over the shoulders and down my arms where they dissipate into the black fabric right before my wrists. And when I look in the mirror, Cinna and the prep team have managed to turn me into someone completely different for the second night in a row. I look sexy but elegant, and so beautiful.

Peeta comes walking through the hotel door moments after the prep team left and halts in his tracks when he sees me.

“Katniss,” he breathes out, “you’re breathtaking.”

I feel the blush rising up my neck. “Thanks.”

“I’ll only be a moment, and then we can leave.”

I take a seat at the breakfast bar and help myself to the bottle of wine the prep team was pouring drinks out of to calm my nerves. There will be lots of people here tonight and no doubt will they want to talk to me and I’ve never been one for conversation. That’s the plus about sex, you don’t need to talk. I’m not good at lying either, so hopefully no one will ask me what I do for a living or anything too personal because I won’t know what to say.

I’ve thought myself into a panic attack by the time Peeta emerges from the bedroom wearing a crisp black suit, white button up and a black tie. His blonde waves are coiffed back and out of his face with a bit of gel, but I know that by the time we come back to the hotel it’ll be messy again.

“What’s wrong?” He asks immediately, sensing my nerves.

“What if they ask how we met, what do we say? I can’t just tell them that I jumped into your car because I thought you wanted to fuck!” I say in a panic.

Peeta smiles at my fear. “It’ okay, we’ll tell them that I was having car trouble and you took pity on me.”

“How about what I do for a living? I’m not good at talking to people, Peeta.”

“What’s something you like doing, or you’re good at?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well if I was going to create a fake job, I’d say that I was a baker because I know a lot about it. What do you know about?”

“Cars, but I can’t be a grease monkey. I’m good with a bow and hunting. I can tell you all the plants you could eat.”

“How about you’ve taken a few years off to take a break from school but you’re currently getting a degree in wildlife?”

It amazed me how easy it is for Peeta to just come up with something at the drop of a hat. I could easily say that I’m working on getting a degree in wildlife and what I plan to do afterwards. I finish my drink and take Peeta’s hand so he can help me off of the stool.

“Have I told you that you look stunning?” Peeta whispers in my ear once we’re in the elevator.

“Maybe once,” I grin.

“Well you are. I’m glad they didn’t put a lot of make-up on you,” Peeta’s lips connect with the skin right below my ear. He nibbles slightly, not hard enough to leave a mark but just enough for me to lean back into him and press my bottom into his groin.

The elevator stops and another couple gets on and Peeta straightens up but not before wrapping an arm around me, splaying his fingers across my stomach so I stay close to him.

 

Finnick’s house is amazing. It’s large and modern and looks over the ocean. The owner of the house is just as beautiful as the house is, and Finnick seems to know that. His bronze hair is styled similar to Peeta’s and his green eyes are bright against his tan skin. He looks like a carbon copy of a Greek God and his wife, Annie, is his Goddess. She’s opposite of Finnick I can already tell, though she is just as beautiful with her matching green eyes and light brown hair. Her stomach is swollen with child and she looks radiant.

“Peet!” Finnick slaps Peeta’s back while he pulls him in for a hug. “It’s been forever, man.”

“I know, I’ve been swamped at work.”

“You’re too young to be working as hard as you do,” Finnick tells him.

Peeta just smiles then turns the attention towards me. “Finnick, Annie, this is my date, Katniss Everdeen.”

“Hello Gorgeous,” Finnick smiles and kisses my knuckles. I look towards his wife in shock but she just smiles and rolls her green eyes.

“Ignore him, he’s quite the Casanova. It’s a pleasure to meet you; Peeta’s never brought a girl around before so you must be something special.”

I look back at Peeta that just smiles proudly so I try to mock him.

“Come on, let’s let our boys play catch up,” Annie takes me by the arm and guides me away from Peeta.

I start to have another mini panic attack and whip my head around to see if Peeta would follow us but he just gives me a smile and a small wave before turning all of his attention to Finnick.

Annie turns out to be just like Peeta, in the way that it’s easy to be around her. Even though I’m in this gorgeous dress, I’m wearing make-up and my hair isn’t in its normal braid, I still feel like I can be myself.

She tells me about the baby, their expecting a boy in just a few months. Annie tells me about what Peeta was like when she first met him, back when he first started business with Alma, who she cannot stand. My ears perk up at this, wanting to know information about Peeta’s business partner.

“She’s a witch. Finnick has told Peeta multiple times that she’s just using him to do all of her dirty work so her name stays clean, but he won’t listen,” Annie says. “Have you met her?”

“No, but she sounds awful. I’m meeting her later this week. There is a brunch thing that Peeta has asked me to.”

“Well, you’ll see for yourself soon enough. Maybe then you can convince Peeta into dumping her and venturing out on his own.”

“Peeta wouldn’t listen to me.”

“I’m not so sure, he seems pretty taken by you. I’ve never seen him like this before.”

I look at Annie questioningly. “What do you mean?”

“Well ever since we’ve been over hear, he’s been staring at you, completely oblivious to what my husband is telling him. I’ve known him for just over six years now and not once has he ever looked at a girl the way he’s looking at you now and that is not for a lack of girls that have paraded themselves in front of him.”

I steal a glance back at Peeta and sure enough he is staring at me from across the room, those clear blue eyes piercing right through me. He says something to Finnick before striding over to us.

“Annie may I steal Katniss for a moment? I’d like to show her the view.”

Annie smirks, “Of course. If I don’t see you the rest of the night, we’ll have to grab lunch or something. I have some embarrassing stories of Peeta that I’m sure you’ll get a kick out of.”

I grin, “Definitely.”

Peeta whisks me away, ignoring the people that come up to talk to him, and ushers me outside onto the deck.

“It’s beautiful,” I breathe in the salty air.

Peeta doesn’t say anything; he simply intertwines our fingers together and leads me to a well hidden spiral staircase that spills out onto a private beach. The ocean is even more impressive closer up. The black waves kiss the white sand before slipping back into the abyss, over and over again; the sound vibrates through my body and calms me.

Peeta takes off his suit jacket and lays it out on the sand for us to sit on. “Finnick and Annie got married right here,” he murmurs.

“It’s a beautiful place to get married.”

“It is; I was the best man. Annie likes you a lot; she’s an exceptionally shy person.”

“Annie thinks that you like me a lot.”

“I do,” Peeta says and I raise my eyebrows for him to elaborate. “You’re easy to talk to. The next time I’m in Los Angeles and in need of a date, I’ll have to give you a call.”

My smile falters slightly. I don’t know why but I kind of hoped what Annie said about Peeta would have been true. But how could have been stupid to think that? Of course Peeta doesn’t think that way about me; I’m a hooker, nothing but a stupid girl playing dress up for a week. Peeta will leave and I’ll return to doing what I do best; fighting to survive.


	4. Chapter Four.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short filler chapter. All mistakes belong to me, everything else does not. Come check me out on tumblr (tributeforthewolfpack)

Peeta’s side of the bed is cold when I wake up the next morning and the hotel is silent. The only evidence he was there at all is the note on his pillow.

_Katniss,_

_I had an early morning and you looked too peaceful to wake. Help yourself to room service. Annie requests a lunch date with you today, Haymitch will pick you up. Don’t wait up for me._

_-Peeta_

I frown. It had only been a few days but I had found myself loving the mornings, waking up in a plush bed, with Peeta in the kitchen preparing a five course breakfast for the two of us, talking about whatever our heart desires before he’d get up and get ready for a day filled with numbers and figures and I’d find purchase on the uncomfortable couch until he kissed me goodbye.

I didn’t like that Peeta worked the he did, spending more time in the office under Alma Coin’s control than he did enjoying himself. He’s too nice and far too good not to be seen by more of the world. In all the time I've known him, Peeta has only truly smiled once. Last night when we spent most of the night laying wrapped up in each other’s arms in the sand of the Odair’s private beach, Peeta had got to talking about one of his favorite childhood past times, painting, he liked drawing landscapes and sunsets the best and had been practicing the human figure when his mother found out about his frivolous hobby and made him quit. I suggested that he should draw me sometime, like a beautiful French model, and he smiled; a smile that reached all the way up to his beautiful blue eyes that sparkled with passion. A twenty-eight needs more smiles like that in his life.

I forgo breakfast and lie in bed and think about the glimpse of Peeta’s childhood that he shared with me. It makes me feel like I should share a bit of my history with him, but also brings a scary feeling to the pit of my stomach. I haven’t shared my past with anybody, I haven’t spoken about it aloud it happened, since I skipped town on my last fifty dollars.

By the time it’s time for me to get ready for my lunch date I’ve worked myself into a panic; a panic about my past, something I cannot change. Horrid visuals race past my eyelids as I squeeze them shut and try to control my breathing. It’s not working though, I can feel and see and smell them like I’m sixteen again. I’ve done so good to suppress all of these memories, worked too hard for them to come flooding back all at once like this.

I have to pull myself together, I can’t fall apart now. Not on this fancy hotel floor, not while Peeta is paying me to act professional. I get myself to the bathroom and practically throw myself into a cold shower, still in my silk nightgown. It clings to my body as I fight to get it off, but finally I do, and the freezing pellets of water assaults my skin leaving it red.

I cannot bear for the prep team to come and see like a mess, so I opt to plait my damp hair down my back and pinch my cheeks to regain some sort of color on my skin. I throw on a floral print cropped pair of skinny jeans and a plain white blouse and a pair of orange ballet flats, hoping that the place I am meeting Annie at isn’t too formal, I’m still not sure what the correct dress code is at most places I’ve frequented over the three days I’ve played this part.

It turns out that Annie is dressed similarly to me, nice slacks and a blouse with her hair pulled up in a bun on the top of her head.

“I hope this isn’t weird for you, getting lunch with someone you’ve only met once,” Annie says as she lightly hugs me before taking the seat in front of me in a small café.

If only she knew that I’ve done much weirder. “Oh no, I really enjoyed the party last night and Peeta left before I even woke up this morning so you saved me from a day of boredom really.”

“Peeta’s work habits are so unhealthy! I wouldn’t be able to stand it if Finnick worked as much as Peeta did.”

“We’re not married,” _or even dating,_ “so it’s not like I can tell what to do. We just met really.”

“Well, he’s a great catch really. If anything, his work pattern shows his dedication.”

Annie and I begin talking about nothing too personal, we mostly stick to topics that revolve around Peeta, which gets my head spinning with an idea. I suddenly couldn’t wait until tomorrow. I want to see that smile again, I crave the feeling it gives me in the pit of my stomach, and I know just how to get it.

I bid Annie a farewell with a quick hug before sliding into the back of Haymitch’s town car. I ask him to make a quick pit stop before returning to the hotel to gather supplies.  Once in the privacy of the hotel room I make the bold move of calling up Effie to ask her what Peeta’s schedule looked like tomorrow and decides some sort of charity auction that would take place at night, he’d just spend the day in the office going over more paper work. I ask her to clear Peeta’s schedule but by no means tell him that I’ve asked her to do so, surprisingly she agrees. I spend the rest of the day setting up my plan with a giddy smile on my face.

I’m not sure what has gotten into me, I have never acted like this before, especially for a man; a man who is paying me for my services nonetheless. But here I am, planning out this entire thing just to see Peeta smile again. I blame it on the fact that deep down I hate seeing people I care about unhappy; and deep down I care about Peeta and I know that he’s unhappy, no amount of money can change the way you feel.

It’s well past sunset before I hear the room door open and close. I wait in the bedroom while Peeta sighs heavily and opens the fridge; I left a plate of room service for him and by the sound of the microwave opening and shutting he’s found it. I become restless when it’s been an hour and Peeta still isn’t present. I forgo the hotel robe and set out to find Peeta in another one of my new skimpy nightgowns.

He’s sitting with his back towards me at the breakfast bar, face in his hands slumped over the untouched plate of food.

“Peeta?” I call to him in a small voice.

I startle him. “Did I wake you?”

“No, I haven’t been to sleep yet. I’ve been waiting for you,” I stride over to him.

Peeta swivels in his chair and allows me to step in between his legs; his large hands find a home around my waist. My head immediately falls to his chest, the constant beat of his heart is soothing. “I told you not to wait up,” he murmurs gently in my ear.

“I know but I had something I needed to tell you.”

“And what is that?”

“You’re spending the entire day with me tomorrow.”

“Katniss, I can’t,” I sigh.

“Yes you can, I’ve already cleared it with Effie. You need a break Peeta, clear your head and enjoy your youth. When was the last time you enjoyed yourself?”

“The other night, with you,” Peeta looks at me and smirks.

I playfully slap his chest and pretend to be offended. “I mean really enjoyed yourself.”

Peeta pauses for a moment to think back to that time. “I don’t remember, honestly.”

“Good, now come to bed Mr. Mellark, I’m feeling like your enjoyment should start sooner rather than later.”

I turn and saunter back to the bedroom while swaying my hips all the same. I don’t need to turn back to know that Peeta is obediently behind me like a dog waiting for his treat.

 

I fall asleep with a smile on my face from the late night romp and wake up sprawled out on Peeta’s chest with the same smile still plastered on my lips. Peeta is still sleeping soundly and I hate to wake him but I’m too eager to show him what I’ve prepared to not straddle to naked waist and trail a series of wet kisses down his neck and chest.

“What did I do to deserve a beautiful woman kissing me awake?” Peeta asks in his morning voice, his eyes only open marginally but I can still see his blue iris’ shining.

“You’re paying me quite a bit of money,” I smirk.

“Oh that’s right. It pays to be wealthy.”

“Mhm,” I slide off of him to retrieve my nightgown. “Come on Mr. Mellark, I’m hungry.”

Being in the kitchen makes Peeta happy so for the first part of my surprise I’ve had the kitchen stocked with everything that you’d need to make those cheese buns Peeta made for me the first morning together and pancakes. When I asked if Peeta would teach me how to make them, his face lit up and he shook his head eagerly.

I don’t have the patience for this type of cooking and stand at the counter with tacky dough sticking to my fingers and underneath my short nails. Peeta doesn’t get upset or frustrated though; instead he smiles brighter and moves to stand behind me, intertwining our fingers together after adding more flour to turn the lumpy mass into a beautiful elastic ball.

“We’ve got to wait a bit for the dough to rise some more,” Peeta tells me as he moves away from me and goes to wash his hands in the sink.

“I can think of some things we can do to pass the times,” I wiggle my eyebrows suggestively.

“Really and what might that be?”

I don’t answer him right away and instead take my time and wash my hands. Once I’m done I turn around to find Peeta only inches away from me, the closeness is intoxicating and I almost find myself leaning in for an actual kiss. But I don’t and I quickly myself that Peeta is just a client; at most a friend.

“I’ll give you a hint Mr. Mellark, it doesn’t involve any clothes and we both get very dirty.”


	5. Chapter Five.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To make up for this shit chapter I'm updating a day early. And I'm really only updating now because this is the only time I can this entire week, and this will probably be the only update for at least two weeks because my real life has gotten pretty hectic. I'm having a hard time finding time to sleep let alone write something, but I'll make it up to you somehow. Love you!
> 
> All mistakes are mine, everything else is not.

I walk on my tip toes behind Peeta with my hands covering his eyes as we step out onto the roof of the hotel.

“No peeking,” I whisper in his ear before backing away to stand in front of him.

“I’m honestly a little scared,” Peeta chuckles though his eyes remain shut.

“Okay,” I tell him to open my eyes with a wide smile on my face and my arms open wide to present him with my surprise.

Peeta looks around, taking in his surroundings. The view of the Los Angeles skyline, the blanket with the picnic basket and bottle of wine, the easel with everything any artist would need for painting because I wasn’t entirely sure what exactly to buy.

“Why did you do this?” Peeta asks suddenly.

The smile on my face drops. He doesn’t like it, of course not. I’ve overstepped my boundaries; I’m just the whore that he pays after all. “It’s stupid I’m sorry, you just seemed happy talking about painting on the beach the other night that I thought you’d like this. I bought all of this with the money that you’ve already paid me.”

“You bought and did all of this just to make me happy?” Peeta questions again.

“It was stupid of me and I had no right. I’m sorry.”

I rush past Peeta and start to make my way to the roof door when Peeta catches me by the elbow. “Nobody has ever done anything like this for me, not ever,” he whispers while loosening his grip on my arm.

“You like it?”

“I love it.”

An even bigger smile makes its way on my face as I watch Peeta’s eyes light up as he exams each color of paint and paint brush. The wine and sandwiches are completely forgotten the moment Peeta sits on the stool in front of the easel and immediately begins brushing lines of bright colors against the white of the canvas.

Two hours has passed since either of us said anything but it truly only feels like moments. The sun is now high in the sky and I can feel it tanning the skin on my shoulders, Peeta’s nose is a tinge of pink. His painting is down; it’s a rough outline of the view around us, but spectacular nonetheless. He now sits crossed-legged hunched over a sketchpad and a charcoal pencil on the picnic blanket. He said that he was going to draw me, but so far he hasn’t looked up once. Either way I try to remain in the same position, leaning back on my elbows, face up to the sky and my legs stretched out in front of me.

“Did anyone help you with all of this?” Peeta asks after a while.

“Haymitch helped me set up some and so did a bellboy.”

Peeta nodded and absentmindedly moistened his lips with his tongue. “How was your lunch with Annie? She called me once you left, she really likes you.”

“I like her, I’ve never met anyone so nice, except for my sister maybe.”

“You have a sister?”

My lips form a thin line as I slowly nod. “Primrose, she’s sixteen.”

“Is that where you got Rose from?”

“Yeah, I guess. Do you have any siblings?”

“Rye and Roti are twins, they’re forty-three. I was an ‘Oops Baby’,” Peeta tells me.

“Are you guys close?” I ask in honest curiosity. That and I don’t want Peeta asking me anymore about Prim.

“No, they were fifteen when I was born so they weren’t really around when I was growing up. I became an uncle before I was even in middle school, so I was closer with my nieces and nephews more than them.”

“How about now?”

Peeta shakes his head, closes the sketchpad and sets it down before lying out beside me, resting his head on my lap. “No, I did some things and haven’t talked to them or my parents since.”

“What did you do?” Peeta gives a heavy sigh as our eyes me; he’s silently pleading me not to ask. “It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me.”

“No,” Peeta says eventually. “It’s just that I don’t want you thinking that I’m a horrible person.”

“I could never think that you are a horrible person, Peeta. There is too much good in you for anyone to truly think that, no matter what you’ve done.”

Peeta gives me a smile that briefly makes me want to lean down and press our lips together, but I don’t.

“I was the accident child, and my mom made sure that I knew that I wasn’t wanted. My dad had a bakery growing up, like I told you, and it was hard for them trying to manage a business, two teen boys, and a new born, but they made it work. When I went to college, I went for business and I met Alma and started working for her and she saw potential for me and basically became the mother I never had. Supporting me and encouraging me to go after what I want. I still wanted to make my mom proud, I never stopped wanting to prove to her that I wasn’t a mistake, but nothing was good enough. So one day while I was venting to Alma she proposed to me that I should become her partner and buy my Dad’s bakery and then sell it. I thought it was a good idea, I would give them enough money to have an early retirement and I truly thought that my parents would love me for it. My mom did, she finally approved of something I was doing, but it crushed my father and my brothers sided with him, telling me that I’ve changed and I’ve let money get to my head. I haven’t spoken to them since, five years.”

“Do you miss them?” I ask quietly.

“Every day,” Peeta confirms.

“You should call them, make it right?”

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“I just can’t.”

“You don’t want regret anything if something were to happen. It would hurt you so much more if you never got to tell your brothers or your dad how you felt.”

“Did you not get to tell somebody something?”

All I can do is nod; Peeta understands and doesn’t ask me to elaborate any further. I’m thankful for this, and we go back to letting the peaceful silence consume us. Peeta’s head is still resting on my lap, his eyelashes fluttering against his rosy cheeks while I run my fingers through his mess of perfect blonde curls. I know that we’ll have to get up soon to get ready for the charity auction that is happening tonight, but for now I relish in the stillness around us, allowing time to slip away, and our lives to be completely forgotten. For just this moment Peeta isn’t the Millionaire Businessman and I’m not Katniss the Street Walker, we’re just Peeta and Katniss, happy.


	6. Chapter Six.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy cow! It's been a crazy two weeks and I'm so so incredibly sorry that I haven't updated but I'm back to regular weekly updates. 
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr @ tributeforthewolfpack 
> 
> Everything belongs to its rightful owner and all mistakes are mine, happy reading!

* * *

 

I run my fingers lightly over the sides of my flame red dress. It’s a beautiful A-line made out of lace and chiffon. A sweetheart neckline with lovely lace capped sleeves and a plunging V backline. My hair is loosely swept to one side and pinned together in a sort of braid with bits of curl framing my face. My make-up is left natural again, light shimmering gold eye shadow and a small line of black eyeliner. The only thing unnatural is the deep red lipstick that stains my lips but it sets off the under played make-up nicely.

Peeta and I had such a nice day; it’s a shame that it has to end with something that is so closely tied to his business endeavors. More than once did I find one us leaning in slightly, as if waiting for the other person to tilt their head for a kiss, but it never happened, and not that it should for that matter.

“You look stunning,” Peeta murmurs from behind me, drawing me out of my thoughts.

I meet his gaze in the mirror and return his infectious smile. I notice in Peeta’s hands a velvet square box. “Do you come bearing gifts?”

“I do My Lady,” Peeta comes and wraps his strong arms around my torso and guides the box into my hands.

I open it slowly, peering in to find an exquisite pendant of a hollow circle with a recognizable mockingjay bird in flight clutching an arrow in its talons, the tips of the wings and each end of the arrow connected to the circle then attached to a simple, thin gold chain. It’s utterly breathtaking and hands down the most expensive and most thoughtful gift I’ve ever received.

“Peeta,” I say for a lack of words.

“Do you like it?” He grins nervously.

“So much more than just like it.”

Peeta quickly takes the necklace out of its holdings and lets the velvet box drop to our feet. I watch him through the mirror while he secures it around my neck and place a series of hot kisses on the exposed skin of my shoulder.

I turn around in Peeta’s arm, bringing my hands up to his chest to clutch onto the lapels of his suit jacket. “Did you pick it out?” Peeta nods. “How did you know that I’d like it?”

“Well I went for a walk to clear my head the day after that disastrous dinner and I just happened to glance in a window of a jewelry store and I saw it and went in and bought it. I didn’t really even think twice about it, I just bought it because when I saw it I immediately thought about it around your neck.”

I smile, “My father died when I was younger.”

Peeta furrows his eyebrows together. “I’m sorry.”

“I’ve grown to accept it, but before he died I had pretty much attached myself to his ankles. He would take me out into the woods every weekend and teach me how to shoot his old bow and arrow until I became better than him. And during our many trips into the woods my father would sing for me and it was so mesmerizing that even the mockingjays would stop their singing to listen to his own. Thank you, I’ll treasure it forever.”

Peeta leans in as if to kiss me but diverts from his original plan and instead plants his lips directly below my ear. Whispering softly, “You’re welcome, Katniss.”

 

My hand stays clasped with Peeta’s the entire night as he introduces me to a few people and when Finnick comes up to greet us.

“Where’s Annie?” I ask as soon as I notice her absence.

“She wasn’t feeling well and with the baby, we thought it was best if she stayed home,” Finnick explained before taking a small sip of champagne from his fluke.

“I hope she’s feeling better,” I tell him kindly.

During dinner, we sit at our assigned table. That is where I meet Alma Coin; a serious looking woman with whitening black hair that is swept in a bun. Her face purses when Peeta introduces me and she barely offers me a greeting but instead looks me up and down and gives me a slight roll of the eye.

“So you’re the girl keeping Peeta away from his work,” it’s more of a statement than a question but I answer her anyways.

“Yes, I suppose I am. But Peeta is an adult, he should be able to make decisions by himself so I’m hardly to blame for his absences,” I smile sweetly.

“Of course, I’m sure any man would willingly jeopardize advancements in his career if you were in their bed,” she jabs rudely.

I try hard not to look at Peeta to see his reaction but I don’t need to. “I think it’s just the opposite, Alma. Katniss has unknowingly made me see a complete different side of the business world.”

Peeta draped his arm casually around my shoulders and started drawing nonsense on the exposed skin of my arm. This innocent display of public affection put a sour look on Alma Coin’s face and shut her up for the better part of the night.

We have fun, Peeta casually bid on frivolous things that he thought he might enjoy; season tickets to every home Mets game, sky diving for a party of four, a trip to a spa. There was one thing for auction that peaked Peeta’s interest; a trip for two to Paris for a romantic getaway. Peeta ends up in a bidding war and comes out the victor paying double what the vacation was probably actually worth, but all the proceeds go to a charity so Peeta didn’t even think twice before whipping out his checkbook from the pocket inside his suit jacket and signed away an amount of money that made me ill.

It was the hefty price tag and the thought of why Peeta wanted the romantic trip for two so badly. Of course he wasn’t intending to take me, right? I mean I’m just the hooker that will get her final paycheck in a few days. After that, Peeta will just be a happy memory, something that will send me into a blissful sleep every time I dream about his lovely smile. Perhaps he had someone in New York waiting for him and the trip is meant for the two of them. I hate the thought of Peeta with another woman but it’s the harsh reality that I have to deal with. 

 

We’re in the hotel elevator, my body heavy with sleep leans fully against Peeta as his arms encircle my waist loosely. Even though I don’t fit in with the people that the charity event, I couldn’t pronounce half of the things that the catering service was serving for dinner, nor could I dance as gracefully as anybody on the dance floor, I still had an amazing night. So amazing that I completely forgot to ask Peeta about the trip and who it was attended for and why he seemed so excited when he outbid his opponent.

“Peeta?” I murmur against his warm neck.

“Yes?” He twists his head and brushes his lips against my hairline.

I relish the feeling for a moment before speaking, “You didn’t buy that trip for us did you?”

Peeta pauses his soothing rhythm of his lips going back and forth for a short second before resuming again. “No.”

“Who for?”

“My parents,” Peeta says quietly as the elevator makes its final stop at our floor with a light ding. Peeta can sense my confusion since he hasn’t talked to his family in five years, he told me so just today. “What you said earlier today, it got me thinking about how I have handled everything over the last few years. I don’t want to finally work up the courage to push my ego and pride aside and apologize and it is too late.”

“A trip to Paris isn’t going to solve anything,” I tell him honestly as we reach our hotel door. “If anything they’ll think you’re trying to buy their love with the same money that took away that your father loved the most.”

Peeta looks at me, the keycard in his hand is suspended in midair and for a minute I think I’ve overstepped my boundaries as an employee again. Surely Peeta will call me a stupid, little girl and send me packing without a single thought.

“I’m sorry,” I rush out. “It’s not my place to tell you how to spend your money or how to deal with your family.”

“No, it’s not your place,” Peeta smiles and I look at him confused again. “But, your inability to filter your thoughts is just another thing I love about you.”

Peeta doesn’t wait for me to respond before he’s pushing open the heavy door and walking through the threshold, kicking off his shoes and stripping himself of this suit jacket and tie, tossing them onto the floor haphazardly as he makes his way to the bedroom.

“I’ll give you a hundred bucks to make my feet, legs, and back stop hurting. I don’t think I’ve ever danced so much,” I hear him call out.

I smile to myself. _Another thing I love about you._ Those were Peeta’s exact words. They made my insides jumble around as if I was thrown into a washing machine and put on the spin cycle. _Another thing_ I love about you _._ What else did he love about me?

When I enter the bedroom Peeta is sprawled across the giant bed on his back in only his boxers and a pair of black socks. I pull on the invisible zipper until the dress becomes loose around my torso and I can easily slip out of it, leaving me in only my high heels and red lacy panties.

I climb up onto the bed, straddle Peeta’s hips and place a series of light, soft kisses on his neck. Peeta’s left hand moves from the bed to rest on my hip, his thick fingers playing with the flimsy material of the thong. I playfully nip at Peeta’s collarbone and he immediately jerks his hips up, the outline of his hardening member coming into contact with my bottom.

“I think sex will make me even sorer,” Peeta voices his dilemma in a husky tone.

“Hm,” I hum against his skin. “I think I know what will make you feel better.”

I grin as I jump off into the bed and into the bathroom to start the bath water. It’s something I wanted the very first night I was here, for Peeta to come take a dip in the tub with me. That seems like a lifetime ago, in a way it was because I’m not the same person as I was when I got into the driver’s side of Peeta’s rental car. This new version of me is happier, lighter, freer, even if it’s just for now.

Peeta pads into the bathroom a few seconds after I’ve started the water and began adding bubbles and oils that smell exactly like the lavender trees that I used to play under when I was still an only child.

“Finally getting me to take a bath with you, huh?” Peeta smirks.

I nod my head enthusiastically. “Strip Mr. Mellark,” I order in my best authoritative voice.

“Only if you ask nicely,” his smirk grows wider.

I stride up to Peeta until my erect nipples are just barely pressed against his smooth and hard chest. I rise up on my tip toes until my lips meet Peeta’s ear. “Please, Mr. Mellark,” I whisper in an alluring voice.

Peeta wastes no time ridding himself of the rest of his clothing now. By the time I even back up fractionally, Peeta is naked as the day he was born and I can clearly see the affect I have on him. I’ll take care of that later, I decide and just the thought of pleasuring Peeta brings a smile to my face and a delicious burn between my legs.

 

I sit behind Peeta in the bathtub as he leans his head back against my shoulder. My fingers work absently against Peeta’s chest, lightly kneading his skin like he does to dough, to work out any sore muscles that might have occurred during tonight’s dancing.

“How did your dad die?” Peeta asks suddenly.

I don’t think twice before answering, “Explosion at work. He was a miner, nobody made it out alive. There were no bodies left to be recovered. My childhood best friend’s dad died that day too, same with half of the dads or grandpas or uncles or brother in my town.

“Wow, how old were you?”

“Twelve, Prim was six.”

“That must have been hard, especially for your mom.”

Without even knowing, Peeta hits the nail straight on the head. My mom all but coiled up inside herself, only coming out to tend to Prim’s needs. She forgot completely about her eldest daughter than holds so much resemblance to the man she gave her heart to so long ago and the one that kept it for himself, burying it deep in his grave mines.


	7. Chapter Seven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To make up for my absence, I decided to post this one early since it goes hand in hand with the last chapter. Tell me what you think, love to get the feedback.
> 
> Come follow me on Tumblr @ tributeforthewolfpack and we can be best friends and swap embarrassing stories and I'll tell you how pretty you are!

** **

* * *

 

**PEETA**

Katniss stops working her small fingers into my skin and instead wraps herself around me like a snake; legs curling around my hips to lock by her ankles at my navel, her slender arms can barely encircle my shoulders fully, and she buries her face in the crook of my neck. I want to turn around in the tub and comfort Katniss correctly but the small space and Katniss’ tight hold won’t let me. I want to take back everything I said that could trigger such harsh memories to circle inside Katniss’ head. I’ve only seen her so strong, tough and independent, so to see Katniss in this state is completely shocking. I’m not quite sure what to do, all I know is that I desperately want make Katniss forget.

I turn in the tub, sloshing water and suds onto the tile floor and breaking Katniss’ grip on me. She makes a noise in protest. I stand, pulling Katniss with me, wrapping a large fluffy towel around her entire body and a smaller one around my waist and guide Katniss back into the bedroom where we crawl beneath the covers with bubbles still sticking to our legs.

Katniss didn’t seem as affected when talking about her father, only when I brought up the hardship with her mom did she shut down.

“Katniss?” I murmur against the skin of her shoulder. “Can you sing me one of the songs that your dad used to sing to you?”

It’s silent for a long while and I’ve no doubt upset Katniss even further. But she surprises me when just above a whisper Katniss starts to sing the most beautiful voice:

_“Are you, are you_

_Coming to the tree_

_Where they strung up a man_

_They say murdered three._

_Strange things did happen here_

_No stranger would it be_

_If we met up at midnight_

_In the hanging tree._

And when she’s finished, I turn Katniss in my arms so that we’re facing each other. “Katniss…” I say longingly. “You’re so beautiful.”

I can see Katniss’ bright smile illuminated by the moon hanging outside of our window. In that moment I know. I know that Katniss isn’t just some girl off the streets that I employed for a week. She isn’t some girl that sells her body to make a living. I know that Katniss has lived a hard life and where she’s at now isn’t where she’d like to be, but I know that Katniss would be damned if she willingly accepted free handouts. I know that Katniss is the rarest form of beauty and she doesn’t even know it. I know that I’ve fallen in love with her when I’m sure she doesn’t even love herself.

I lean in and fear flashes across Katniss’ face but I continue; if Katniss wants me to stop, she’ll stop me. But I think Katniss has wanted this just as I have.

At first my lips just lightly ghost over hers, barely recognizable as a kiss, but that’s all that it took for Katniss to give me a satisfying moan and search for my lips on her own.

Our first kiss is all of the kisses rolled up into one. First starting out slow and shy; just simple pecks on the lips until we got more daring. I lightly traced the tip of my tongue on Katniss’ bottom lip until she parted her mouth slightly so we could progress into a more romantic kiss. We explore each other’s mouths with our tongues gently and thoroughly until I become even more daring and take Katniss’ lower lip and worry it lightly in between my teeth. This seems to unlock something deep inside of Katniss that she’s been suppressing for a very long time now.

Immediately the kiss changes from exploration and innocent to demanding, needy and lust filled. I roll my body to cover Katniss completely as I pull my mouth away from Katniss’ lips despite her protests and begin attacking her neck with harsh kisses. I have to remind myself that she’ll need to go into public tomorrow so I don’t suck or bite too hard in the places that I could leave visible marks. But for the rest of her body though; I want her to know that she’s mine by marking my territory like some sort of dog.

When I draw one of Katniss’ dusky nipples in my mouth and lightly tease it with my teeth, her hips buck up trying to find some sort of friction that I don’t want to give her just yet.

“Peeta, I need you, please,” she begs me and I realize I love the sound of her begging and want to hear more of it.

I smirk to myself and hold Katniss’ hips down with one of my large hands while I tease her breasts with my unoccupied hand and my lips go back to home against Katniss’ wet mouth.

“Peeta,” she whines again. “Touch me please; I need to feel you in me.”

I groan loudly as her plea rings out in my ears. I cannot deny Katniss anything when she sounds like that. With the hand that was busy holding her hips firmly against the bed, I slip a single finger up and down her slit which is sopping with wetness. I give another groan knowing that I’ve made Katniss this wet; I can do this to her with just some kissing and nipple action.

“Baby, you’re so wet,” I tell Katniss.

“It’s your fault,” she gives me a wicked grin.

“Only me,” I say a bit too forcefully as I stake my claim.

Katniss looks up at me with wide eyes and for a moment I think I’ve said something else wrong but when she smiles and brings her lips up to meet mine I know that I’m wrong. “Yes, yours.”

I’ve claimed Katniss as mine verbally now I needed to claim her physically. After reaching over to the stash of condoms in the drawer of the nightstand, I carefully roll one onto me, I part Katniss’ olive-toned legs a bit wider to accommodate in between them. I take my throbbing member in one hand while my other hand holds my weight up off of Katniss. Slowly I begin to enter her wet folds, a centimeter at a time.

“Now isn’t the time for teasing,” Katniss scolds before bucking her hips, causing me to enter her faster.

“Oh fuck,” I groan once Katniss has reached full capacity.

It doesn’t take much time for our slow and steady rhythm to become fast and erratic. A few times I’ve pulled out too far and have to pause to reposition myself back inside of Katniss. But that doesn’t matter, all that matters is the wonderful sounds I’m causing Katniss to make. Gloriously loud moans and groans and the foul words Katniss shouts every time I hit that spot deep inside of her.

“Peeta, Peeta, Peeta,” Katniss pants in my ear.

She’s so close; I can feel her beginning to pulse and clamp around me. A vicious thought of slowly down pops in my head but I decide against it. I cannot deny Katniss anything she wants and right now she desperately wants to come. I want to come with her though.

“Hold on baby, not yet.”

Katniss immediately knows what I want. “I’m so close.”

“Me too, baby.” A few more quick pumps and I’m there. “Let go Katniss. Come with me,” I urge her.

Katniss lets go immediately, screwing up her face as her limbs tense up. Her walls close around me in a vise-like grip and she milks me as I slow my thrusts to ride out my own orgasm. I feel myself already getting hard again just by looking down at Katniss to see a sheen over her body and her chest rising up and down in heavy pants.

I refrain myself from going for round two when I catch a glimpse at the clock. We have a busy and long day ahead of us and if we have any plans of being able to function, there can’t be a round two, much to my cock’s dismay.

I settle onto the bed beside Katniss once I've pulled the used condom off of me and dispose of it in the small waste basket by the bed and pull her into me so that her head is resting on my chest. My fingers twist and tangle themselves into Katniss’ dark locks as I hear her sigh in comfort. I want to tilt Katniss’ chin up towards mine so I can kiss her again before she decides that it’s a mistake but by the time I work up the courage, Katniss’ breathing has leveled out and I know that she is fast asleep. I settle for kissing a spot on the top of her head and pulling her even closer to me. Tomorrow, I decide. I’ll kiss Katniss again tomorrow.


	8. Chapter Eight.

* * *

 

Peeta seemed to be a different man the morning after our first kiss. Except for the first day when I woke up to Peeta making me breakfast, I’ve woken up alone. He’d left in the very early hours of the morning to attend to some important business deal. But today, I woke up first, my cheek pressing against Peeta’s firm chest, one are tucked at his side the other one intertwined with one of Peeta’s own hands at his bare hip, and my legs vined around his.

I take these silent minutes to go over what exactly happened last night. Peeta kissed me, and more surprisingly I let him, and even more surprisingly than that I enjoyed the kiss. Or kisses, because it wasn’t just one kiss. I specifically told Peeta that I didn’t kiss clients because it was too personal. So does this mean that he doesn’t consider me business deal? Do I mean more to Peeta now? If Peeta and I were to become more than just a business transaction, Peeta would no doubt expect me to quit my job, I couldn’t be fucking other men while sleeping in his bed at night, but what else would Peeta make me do? Go to college, so he can be with someone more his level? Move to New York City? Expect me to start behaving more like a lady?

All of the questions circling in my head are making me dizzy and I have to stop thinking all together before I get physically sick. I nuzzle my face further into Peeta, accidently waking him up. He stirs below me, untangling his hand from hair and untwining our fingers so he could rub the sleep out of his eyes with both hands.

“Good morning,” Peeta says in a sleepy voice.

“Hi,” I grin up at him.

“Can I kiss you again, or was that just a slip of character?” Peeta asks me.

I don’t think about it because thinking at this moment is bad for me. “You can kiss me.”

Peeta’s lips have no trouble settling against mine in a good morning kiss. “I wish we could stay in this bed forever.”

“I’ll allow it.”

Peeta and I kiss again, and again, and again. Until our lips are chapped, red, and sore and are dizzy from a lack of oxygen. It’s only then does Peeta glance at the alarm clock and announce that we’re running late do we finally enter back into reality and start our day.

 

Coriolanus Snow is an avid Polo watcher, as is his partner Seneca Crane. They both have graciously invited Peeta as well as Alma Coin to join them this afternoon, no doubt to try to undermine some other sort of business deal, or try to convince Peeta to team up with them and leave Coin in the dust.

I’ve kept my mouth shut about Peeta’s wheeling and dealing because it simply isn’t my place and what do I know about buying and selling companies other than it’s a lot like stealing cars and selling the pieces for profit, but legal.

I do have my opinions though. I think that Snow is right in the idea that Peeta should stop doing business with Coin. She’s obviously using Peeta for his money and his name, having him do all of her dirty work so she doesn’t have to lift a finger and her image stays clean. But I also wouldn’t trust Snow to partner up with him either. From what I have gathered through eavesdropping on one or two of Peeta’s phone calls, Snow is rough business man, plays hard and half of the time what he is doing is illegal. Through this Snow and Crane have found themselves in a bit of a financial crisis. This is where Peeta would come in and buy out the company for less than what it’s worth and sell it, only Snow wants to make Peeta a partner to use his money, just as Coin is doing now.

I’m not even sure why Peeta is messing with Snow’s company since it’s not the normal businesses he usually goes for. Peeta has made a reputation for going after large, multi-man corporations that cost million to buy but billions to sell. Not a two man show located on the other side of the country. I asked Peeta one time why Coin was so adamant on taking Snow’s life long process out from under him and he shrugged his head and stated that he was just doing business and he didn’t need to question his business partner. But I think he does. Maybe I should do it for him.

Haymitch parks the town car for us and proceeds to open the door for Peeta and myself, I give him a small smile in thanks. I’ve gotten to know Haymitch very well over the last few days, and though I still think he’s a surly drunk, I’ve come to grow fond of him.

“Don’t step in any horse shit, Sweetheart,” I hear him call after me and I roll my eyes.

Peeta takes me by the hand and leads me to a small gathering of people; two of them being Snow and Crane themselves.

“Nice day isn’t it now, gentlemen?” Peeta greets both men with firm handshakes. “Of course you remember Katniss from dinner the other night?”

“How could we forget such a lovely face?” Crane took my hand in his gently and kissed the tops of my knuckles with wet lips.

I discreetly try to wipe his spit off on the back of my flowing chiffon high-low skirt before shaking hands with Snow.

“I hope that you looked over our offer Mr. Mellark, it’s a much better one than you have now,” Snow smiled a snake-like smile.

“Unfortunately I haven’t been able to look over the contract, I’ve been rather busy,” Peeta says smoothly while I know that that contract is actually sitting in the local landfill.

“Yes well, if I had a beauty like that on my arm, I’d be a busy man as well,” Seneca gave me a look that made me squirm, but not in a good way.

Peeta gives the men a small smile before he wraps his arm more securely around me. “If you’d excuse us, there are many more people I’d like Katniss to meet today.”

“Certainly,” Snow nods. “And Peeta, do think about our offer. We’re very serious people, and don’t like to be kept waiting.”

“I’m sure you don’t, you two have a nice day.”

We walk off quickly without another word. Peeta is fuming, the grip he has on me is tightening as if in one single second I’m going to float off like a helium balloon. I twist in Peeta’s arm so my front is pressed against his side and place a kiss on the underside of his square jaw.

We spot Finnick and Annie, thankfully enough, and make our way around the field to where they are sitting. Annie looks bigger than the last time I saw her, which is almost impossible to say seeing as I just saw her the other day. She’s waving a homemade fan that is folded out of the Polo brochure and waving it around her face to create some sort of breeze.

“Fuck being pregnant,” Annie grumbles when I take the vacant seat next to her.

I grin and sneak a look up at Finnick who is mindlessly massaging his wife’s shoulders like a dutiful husband.

“It’s his fault I’m fat and miserable. Wanted a kid so damn bad,” she grumbles again and I have to cover my mouth to stop the laugh from escaping.

“I love you, Darling,” Finnick says sweetly. He is the perfect husband.  

Finnick and Peeta take up a casual conversation amongst themselves while Annie claims that it is too hot to any sort of talking other than bitching at her husband, so I take up watching the men on horseback swing their sticks to hit the invisible ball towards the attended destination. It’s not exciting as watching hockey or football; I don’t know the rules of this game, and only start clapping when those around me start to clap. It doesn’t matter though, because when I turn to look at Peeta he looks at me and gives me that smile that I adore so much.

Peeta and I part ways when Alma approaches our group at half time and I excuse myself to take part in the long tradition of stomping the turned over grass, called divots, back into the ground. During this time, I find myself come face to face with Crane, grinning madly with his ridiculous bread framing his face.

“Mr. Crane,” I say nicely enough. “Peeta tells me that you are a polo player yourself, why aren’t you out there with them?”

“If I was out there playing, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy your beautiful face.”

“You’re too kind.”

“I try but it seems that Mr. Mellark doesn’t think so. He’s determined to believe those lies that wicked Alma Coin is poisoning his brain with. I’m sure she’s telling him right this moment that I’m some two-headed serpent.”

Crane and I take a glance towards Peeta who is still standing next to Alma with his arms folded crossly across his broad chest and a sour look on his face. Surely whatever Coin is telling him isn’t good. Crane steps closer towards me and leans down to whisper in my ear. “Remember Miss. Everdeen, not everyone appears to be who they say they are.”


	9. Chapter Nine.

* * *

 

I stare dumbfounded as Seneca walks away from me, leaving me in the middle of the field with tufts of overturned Earth that it waiting to be stomped back in its place. What did he mean by _“not everyone appears to be who they say they are”_? Who is they? I turn back to Peeta, he isn’t talking to Coin anymore, and instead he looks to be in deep conversation with an older gentleman. I don’t feel like bothering him so I venture around the field aimlessly trying to process what Seneca was talking about. I came up with the theory that he was just trying to scare me or something when Coin approaches me.

“This isn’t at all what you’re used to, is it?” she asked me in a sickly formal voice.

“Not at all, I grew up in woods so all of this is kind of like a culture shock,” I tell her honestly in attempts to be friendly.

“Oh well yes that and the street you’re used to.”

“Excuse me?” I look at her and furrow my eyebrows.

“Peeta told me. He told me that he hired your services and that you’re just a mere hooker he picked up on the strip. I was worried at first, thinking that you might try and persuade Peeta into a different path but now I think that you could be a real asset to our team.”

“What do you mean?” I ask while trying to hide the hurt in my voice.

I follow Alma’s gaze and land on Seneca; he notices my glance and gives me a small smirk. “He has taken a liking to you. It would be a shame not to put your skills to work. Maybe you should make yourself useful, stop mooching off of my partner, and get us the information we need to crush Coriolanus Snow and Seneca Crane. Do that and you’ll never have worry about money again. The constant treatment your sister needs is quite expensive right?”

“How do you know about my sister?”

“Like I’d let Peeta fool around with some tramp without knowing everything about her first. Your father died in a work related accident when you were young, your mother is on the constant verge of a mental breakdown, your sister is sick, all the while poor Katniss Everdeen is trying to keep her head afloat by selling the only thing she has left; her body.”

I don’t know what to say or what to do. I’m paralyzed with fear. If she knew everything about me and my family, Alma Coin could probably be capable of doing so much more.

“Peeta hasn’t been focusing on what he needs to be focusing on at the moment. All the sudden power isn’t his main concern and I wonder why that is. I can make your life Hell Miss. Everdeen, so I give you two options; the first being join our forces and get the information we need in return I will pay for all the medical bills and anything else little Primrose may need to survive, or you break off whatever fairytale fantasy you think you might have with Peeta and walk away from it all. I’ve worked too long and too hard for Peeta to suddenly throw everything to the wind because you’re a nice fuck either way, your time with Peeta ends now.”

“And if Peeta doesn’t want our time to end?” I question her bitterly.

She lets out a loud, hearty laugh as if I just told the funniest thing in the world. “Oh honey, you actually think that Peeta has actual feelings for you? He always has a sideline girl when he comes here; none of them have been an actual whore but nonetheless. He has a girlfriend back home, Delly Cartwright. And it’s in my understanding that he plans to propose to her, already has the ring picked out.”

I remain quiet, again not able to speak because if I do I’ll most certainly do something that could get me hurt. I refuse to believe it. Peeta can’t have someone back home. He would have told me, I wouldn’t have minded. A lot of my clients have significant others. No this cannot be true. Coin gives me a wicked little grin and walks away. I now know what Seneca meant. Alma Coin isn’t at all what she appears to be.

 

On the drive home Peeta talks absentmindedly, clueless to my sullen mood. Haymitch notices right away and continues to give me nervous glances from the rearview mirror that I try to ignore. The more Peeta talks the more I grow angry at him. How dare he tell Coin that I’m a hooker. I honestly believed that I was more than just a street walker to him but I guess not. He didn’t tell me about what _Delly Cartwright._ God I let him kiss me on the mouth, I shared intimate details with him that I haven’t told anybody before. I trusted him; I was falling in love with him. I guess Peeta isn’t who he says he is either.

“So I’ve been thinking, I’m flying back to New York soon but I’d like to see you when I come back to town.  I could get you a nice apartment; you could go back to school or something. Anything you want,” Peeta tell me once we’ve made it into the hotel room. “How does that sound?”

“Fine,” I say as I walk into the bathroom to take off my make-up and change into something comfortable. ‘Fine’ is the only thing I’ve said to him once we got into the back of Haymitch’s car and Peeta I starting to take notice at my more than distasteful mood.

“I’ve gotten seven fines; can I get another word please?”

“How about asshole, prick, or liar. Any of those work for you?”

Peeta comes to stand in the doorway of the bathroom with a confused look on his face. “Asshole, prick or liar, I don’t like those words too much.”

“Maybe you’ll like dick, douchebag and fuck you a little bit better.”

“No, I can’t say I like those words either. Did I do something wrong?”

“If I have to tell you, you are the biggest idiot in the world.”

“Well I’m the biggest idiot in the world then. Please explain why you are so keen on hating me at this moment.”

I turn to look at Peeta once I’ve changed into a pair of yoga pants and a tee shirt; both articles of clothing are actually mine.

Peeta seems to forget that we’re in the middle of a fight and backs me up against the counter, placing his hands on the counter on either side of my waist, trapping me against him. He tries to kiss me on the lips but I turn my head and he catches my cheek. This seems to catch him by surprise and he looks down at me stunned.

“What’s the matter Katniss?” He whispers.

“Go kiss your girlfriend Peeta.”

“Girlfriend?” He asks baffled.

“Alma told me all about your plans to marry Delly Cartwright once you get back to New York. It’s okay though because I have a lot of clients that have significant others, so it doesn’t matter. After all I am just a hooker to you.”

“Alma told you that I’m going to marry Delly?”

“You told Alma that I’m a hooker.”

Peeta looks down, “It kind of slipped out. She kept asking questions about you. What your intentions were.”

“She doesn’t like that I’ve been keeping you from your work and that power I no longer the only thing you care about.”

“Yeah well she is the one that is power hungry. I on the other hand am only hungry for one thing.”

Peeta attempts to kiss me again and when I turn away from him he doesn’t falter and instead attacks the column of my neck with wet open-mouthed kisses.

“Is the Delly thing true?” I mutter to him as Peeta sucks on a delicate part of skin.

“Kind of,” he says into my neck. “She’s someone that I’ve been dating off and on but it’s never gotten as serious as marriage.”

“Are you currently in the on stage of your relationship?”

Peeta looks at me. His eyes are pleading with me not to make him answer the question but I continue to wait. “Yes,” he says finally.

“I should go then.”

I shove past him and go to find the things that I came with and nothing more. I won’t keep anything that Peeta has bought me no matter how much I can resell them for in order to help out Prim.

“Why are you going?”

“Because Peeta!” I shout. “My feelings for you have rendered me unable to continue to do my job.”

“I don’t think this is just a job anymore.”

“Yes it is. You are paying me to keep you company both during work functions and in the bedroom. I am a prostitute than that is my job.”

“I’ve never treated you like a prostitute though.”

“You just did.”

“How?”

“You want to put me up in an apartment and lavish me with anything I want so when you come back you can have me whenever you want without complaint.”

“I don’t see it that way.”

“I do,” I shrug. I turn to leave the hotel but I can’t help it. I turn back around and whisper, “Good bye Peeta,” against his lips before I kiss him once.

I have to run out of the room then and rush into the elevator before I do something stupid like cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so surprised that I actually had time this week to bang this chapter out and post it. It's going to diverge from the 'Pretty Woman' plot line a little bit just to make the story more interesting. I started a Game of Thrones story that you should go check out if you're into that sort of thing. Anyways go follow me on tumblr at tributeforthewolfpack and send me a message telling me that you read my stuff and what you like best or another story that you would like me to write and I'll follow you back!


	10. Chapter Ten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I updated yesterday but I am just honestly so excited about the upcoming chapters/the ending that I want to post them as soon as I can. And I love love love getting reviews from you guys, it honestly makes me so happy and I think about it all day! Y'all are the best ever.

I don’t go after Katniss. Partially because I’m too stunned to move and she had every right to leave. I betrayed her trust on so many levels. I told Alma that Katniss is a hooker and I’ve been paying her to attend the repetitive business functions with me in hopes to cure boredom. I also told her that Katniss isn’t like any other girl I’ve met before and I’ve crossed paths with my share of the opposite sex. I neglected to tell Katniss about Delly; there wasn’t much to tell in the first place however. Yes Delly and I are dating at the moment, as much as we can call dating. It’s more like fucking and using each other’s names for good networking. We have a long history of break ups and make ups and it’s gotten to the point where it’s no longer a relationship and more of someone to place blame on when there isn’t anybody else.

Delly is the type of girl that my mom would want me to end up marrying, and I would have married Delly just to please her because I’m still craving the love and acceptance that I never got as a child. But now, after this week, I’ve forgotten all about her. The moment Katniss walked up to my car window with her blonde wig and her fake name.

Katniss thought I actually view her as a hooker. I don’t know how she could possibly think that after last night. I thought that we sealed the deal after everything that happened. After we kissed, and kissed again and a few more times after that. Katniss said that she doesn’t kiss clients on the mouth, so I’m not a client anymore. At least I wasn’t until twenty minutes ago when Katniss’ walls came flying back up at an alarming speed.

So what if I offered Katniss to buy Katniss a place? It isn’t that big of a deal. It’ll get her off the streets and whatever shitty apartment she can barely afford now. Katniss was supposed to be happy about all of that. But she wasn’t. Instead she claimed that was me treating her like a hooker. But I’ve never treated her like a hooker, not when we first met and certainly not a few moments ago before she slammed the door on me.

I shake my head in frustration and go to make myself a strong drink. I throw back a scotch then pour myself another one that I take the time to savor the burning feeling on the back of my throat as it slips down into my stomach with each sip.

Four glasses later and I am regretting my decisions. My decisions to let Katniss walk out of the hotel room, not finding out the other reasons why Katniss was so upset because it couldn’t have been the Delly and apartment buying things as both of those could have been talked out, drinking in general.

I fumble my phone for a few minutes before finding the contact that I’ve been looking for and press call. I have Haymitch pick me up at the front of the hotel.

“Do you know where Katniss lives?” I ask once he’s in the driver’s seat.

“Yeah but I don’t think it’s a good idea to be going over there in your state.”

“You’ve probably had more than me tonight,” I sneer.

“Yeah but I’ve also been using booze to drown my sorrows way longer than you, Kid.”

“Shut up. I don’t pay you to lecture me, just drive to Katniss’.”

Haymitch grumbles something but I’ve drank too much to catch exactly what he said. He does however put the car into drive and slowly leaves the hotel parking lot. The houses become smaller and the shops start looking less and less expensive the further Haymitch drives.

Finally we pull up to a dumpy little apartment building that looks like it could fall down if I stared at it too hard. Haymitch tells me what door is hers and before I can back out, I knock on the door loudly.

After a long minute a tall, fierce look woman with short dark hair. She gives me a smile like she’s picturing me naked. I immediately feel uncomfortable.

“Sorry, I must have the wrong address,” I stumble over my words quickly. Drinking and coming here wasn’t a good idea.

“Nah, you’re in the right place.”

“How do you know?”

“Not many guys like you come here looking for someone in particular,” she tells me. “You’re Peeta Mellark, right?”

“Yeah, who are you?”

“Oh I’m going to be the person to put an axe in your skull if you hurt Katniss anymore. She’s gone through too much shit in her life for a big rich and swanky douche like you to make her feel like the dirt dogs shit on.”

“I’m here to make it right,” I tell her honestly because I fear that this lady is serious about the axe thing.

“Yeah that’s all white knight of you but I Katniss doesn’t want to talk to you right now.”

“Come on, please. I need to speak to her. She needs to know that she’s wrong.”

She laughs loudly. “Good luck telling her she’s wrong. Katniss is more pig-headed than I am.”

“Can I just talk to her please?” I step forward hoping she’ll move but she doesn’t, of course. I let out a huff of hot air and pull my wallet out. If pleading with this girl won’t work, I’m sure money will. “I have five hundred dollars cash, let me talk to Katniss and it’s yours.”

The lady snatches the money from my hand and steps aside. “Kat, you’ve got a visitor!”

“I told you to get rid of him, Jo,” I head her call from behind a closed door.

“Yeah well he gave me five hundred bucks, so what can I do?” the girl named Jo shrugs her shoulders even though Katniss can’t see. I give myself a second to psych myself up before I head towards the door I know Katniss is behind. “Lover boy is coming in!” Jo shouts behind me to warn Katniss about my arrival.

I open the door and walk into Katniss’ bedroom before closing the door behind me. Katniss I sitting up on her bed still wearing the leggings and tee shirt she left in and looking absolutely gorgeous. Her room is bare, white walls, small desk with a lamp next to her twin sized bed that is low to the ground and has an ancient looking patch quilt draped across it. A small stuffed, yellow duck sits on the pillow.

“I hate Johanna. She was supposed to keep you out,” Katniss mumbled, she hasn’t looked up at me since I walked into the room.

“Yeah well who can pass up money? Besides she threatened to stick an axe in my head if I hurt you, and I believe her.”

Finally Katniss’ eyes meet mine. They are a darker grey, like storm clouds right before a heavy storm and rimmed red from escaped tears. I want to do nothing more than to kiss those tears away and find her lips again. I’d give up all the money in the world to kiss her one more time, if Katniss would allow it.

“If you’re here to give me my money, you can give it to charity or something because I don’t want it.”

I shake my head. “That’s not why I came.”

“Then why did you because you certainly didn’t come all the way here just to plead forgiveness.”

“I did.”

“Then you’re the stupidest businessman I have ever met, and I’ve met a lot of businessmen Mr. Mellark.”

I sink to my knees in front of her, circling my hands around her waist and pulling her closer to me until we’re touching. “Then I’m the stupidest businessman, because I am here to plead forgiveness, and I don’t intend to leave until you come back with me.”

“I’m not going back with you.”

“Then I’ll stay here.”

“No Peeta. You need to leave,” she says sternly as my grip on her tightens to show her I’m not going anywhere until Johanna comes in her with that promised axe.

“We were happy yesterday, everything was falling into place. What happened?” I place a kiss Katniss’ neck, right in the spot that makes her weak.

“My feelings for you got in the way of my job.”

“Then quit your job, I thought you were self-employed,” I joke, kissing her neck again, this time using my teeth to graze the skin gently.

“I can’t, okay?”

Katniss says it so forcefully it’s like she’s trying to convince herself. As if she’d love nothing more than to come back to the hotel with me so I can fully explain everything and then have incredible make up sex that includes a lot of kisses. Why is Katniss so against this when I know she wants this too?

“What did Alma say to you?” Katniss looks down, her chin touching her chest. “Katniss, tell me.”

“We’re just not in the equation for each other. Your girlfriend is.”

“Katniss, Delly is just a placeholder. Really, I haven’t even thought about her since the moment I met you. We’re just friends really. Friends with benefits that use each other to get ahead in life.”

“Well she’d make a better choice than me.”

“No, not at all. I feel nothing for her. I feel everything for you. Tell me Katniss, what did Coin say to you?”

“You told her that I’m a hooker so she used that to her advantage and gave me a choice. I could work her as a mole and sleep with the people she asks me to in order to get information; Seneca would be the first person. Or I could leave. Either way she made it clear that you were not an option.”

“I don’t understand. Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“She found out about why I’m a prostitute and played it to her advantage. I’m afraid that if I defy her she’ll retaliate and I can’t have her hurting the ones I love. Coin is a powerful and dangerous woman. She feels threatened that I’m stealing you away from what is essential to her power plays and she can’t have that.”

“What did she find out?”

Katniss looks down again and takes a deep breath before diving into the story of her past. “We were a really happy family for the first few years of Prim being born. We didn’t have a lot, but that was okay. We didn’t need money to be happy, just each other. Then at three, Prim started getting really sick and turns out she has cancer. It put a lot of strain on our family, but we pushed through. My mom was a nurse so she cared for Prim at home a lot. I’d get jealous that Prim would all the attention so my dad would take me out into the woods and taught me how to use a bow and how to hunt and track animals. Then my dad died, so suddenly. And my mom was stuck with me, a kid with cancer, and a broken heart. She all but shut down. Doing nothing but care for Prim. She forgot that existed entirely and it got to the point where I had to start taking care and providing for the family because my mom couldn’t. She checked out and was too busy dealing with Prim. Prim went into remission a year after my dad died, and I thought that everything was going to be okay.”

I could tell that there is more to the story. The part on how Katniss fell into this profession.  I remain quiet and let her continue.

“Then when I turned eighteen, the cancer came back. We didn’t have any money for chemo and I was desperate, so I went to this guy named Cray. He was notorious for being a pervert and it was common knowledge that he pays for sex regularly. So I knocked on his door and I asked him how much he paid and he said normally one hundred dollars a night. Then I asked him how much he charged for virgins. I cried the entire time but I walked out with five hundred dollars and I was that much closer to getting the medication Prim needed. So I moved closer to the city, met Johanna and she caught me everything she knew. Everything I make besides rent money and what little I can spare for food goes directly to fund Prim’s chemo. I thought that the selling your body would get easier the more you do it, but it doesn’t.”

I want to wrap Katniss in my arms and never let her go. I want to hold her forever and tell her that no one can ever hurt her again because I’ll protect her. Then I realize that Coin probably offered Katniss money to sleep with the men Alma wishes to destroy, probably enough money to cover all of Prim’s expenses plus extra. Dread fills me as I think how hard it would be to turn that offer down knowing how much she loves her sister.

“Katniss, did you say yes to Coin’s offer?” I ask in a timid voice.

Katniss shakes her head no and dread is quickly placed with relief. “I couldn’t do that. There is a reason why I don’t have a pimp now. I like control. I say when and with who and how much and how long. With Alma I wouldn’t get that, I’d be her dumb little whore that is waiting at her beck and call because she desperately needs the money to save her sisters life.”

I take Katniss’ face into my hands. “I’ll take care of Coin.”

“No. She’s going to hurt my family. She made it clear that whatever we had was to end. So this has to end.”

I get up, startling Katniss. I head towards the door in a rush to leave. “This isn’t over Katniss. Everything will be okay, you’ll see.”

I leave with a wave to Johanna who is fanning herself with the five hundred dollar bills I gave her. In the car I pull out my cell phone. I still might be a little drunk and this might be the worse decision of my life but it’s the only thing I can think of right now, and I’d do anything to be with Katniss and make her happy.

“Snow, I think we need to talk. I have a counter offer to your business proposal.”

 


	11. Chapter Eleven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dang what happened to me updating on Wednesdays? I'm not too happy with the beginning of this chapter that's probably why I didn't post it on Wednesday, but yeah. Come talk to me on Tumblr @ tributeforthewolfpackDOTtumblrDOTcom.

Snow is already seated at a table when I arrive at the restaurant we first had dinner at that first night. It was like he was waiting for me to make that call, knowing that I’d turn on Coin eventually.

“I knew you were a smart kid,” Snow gave me a tight, snake like smirk.

“I wouldn’t go that far. I’m making my personal life and business and it’s a known rule not to do that,” I take the available seat across from him.

“Stupid rule,” Snow says before taking a sip of red wine that smells sickly sweet. “Mixing the two together, you become very driven to achieve your goals. What is your goal Mr. Mellark?”

“My friends have been telling me for years that Alma Coin is bad despite everything he has led me to believe. She’ll do everything and anything just to get what she wants, and that includes blackmailing innocent people into doing anything she pleases. I do not care to associate myself with those types of people.”

 “Neither do I, Mr. Mellark.”

“But to my understanding, you are one of those people as well?”

“But at least I’m honest about it. I do not pretend to be some nice aging woman with handsome young men to do my dirty work for me. Do you know why Alma is so eager for you to rip apart my company? The company that I worked so hard to build and the company that is accountable for thousands and thousands of jobs all over the United States and parts of Canada and Mexico, as well as Japan?”

“I’ve had my hunches but I don’t think any of them is the true reason.”

“Probably not, because of course how would you know that Alma and I used to be married a lifetime ago and when we divorced I got the company that I started and everything that went with it. This made Alma bitter and she swore that she would take it from me some day, just as it was once taken from her. And what better person to take it from me than her newest handsome worker bee.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Here I was prepared to destroy everything this man has worked for, not because he dabbles in dirty business, or that he’s cruel to his employees, but for a stupid personal vendetta.

“You haven’t been the first person to carry out her evil schemes. Most of the boys she takes under her wings aren’t smart enough to get out before their names get fully varnished. You aren’t like the rest of them though; you’ve seen what others can’t.”

I haven’t been able to wrap my head around much of anything and Snow sits across me, amused at his doings. All I know is that I couldn’t be associated with Alma Coin any longer.

“I’m withdrawing all advances from taking your company. I no longer have any desires to be the owner of your life’s work.”

“I’m pleased to hear that Mr. Mellark. But what about joining forces with Mr. Crane and me?”

“No,” I say automatically. “I think I’m going to step away from the playing field all together.”

It was my time to surprise Snow. My news surprised him indeed. “Really? You’ve had such great success, surely you don’t want to leave at your peak?”

“If I’m at my peak, then there is only down from here. Besides I have plans to visit with my family for a while.”

To make my point I take all of the papers that I have from the business deals that go about buying Snow’s company out from under him and rip them in separate pieces then give the waiter the bits of scrap to dispose of.

We share a glass of red wine then I bid Snow a good life and walk out of the restaurant as I loosen my tie from around my neck. I don’t go to my hotel, instead I have Haymitch drive me back to Katniss’.

Johanna answers the door again but lets me through immediately. Katniss is still in her room, her face free from tears now. I don’t bother asking her if I can come into the room any further, if she even wants me close to her, I do anyways. I scoop Katniss up in my arms and tuck her into my side, cuddled together on the small bed. I inhale her scent; jasmine and something else I can’t quite put my finger on. It is all soothing nonetheless, just what I needed after a particularly stressful day.

“Where did you go?” Katniss murmurs against my neck, her voice vibrating a bit of my flesh, sending chills down the length of my spine.

“To go talk to Snow,” I answer honestly.

“Why?”

Katniss looks up at me and I look down at her. “He’s going to help me take down Coin.”

“But you’ll lose half of your business and all that money that you’re always throwing around, most of it will be gone.”

“I’m in love with you Katniss, and Coin threatened you and your family and I won’t stand for that. You made me realize that money and power is not the most important thing in the world; happiness and family is. So turning against Coin with the help of Snow has been the easiest decision I’ve ever made.”

“You love me?” She asks shyly.

“With every fiber in my body, I love you.”

“I love you too,” Katniss says with an eat shit grin and I’m sure my face looks the same.

“All of me?”

“No,” she replies with a shake of her head. “I don’t love your money, your rental cars, the fancy dinners and the clothes. I just love the man hidden beneath the Armani suit and nothing else.”

I smile softly, “Well I think a lot of that is about to disappear.”

“I’m fine with that.”

 

Coin all but took me to court over the mess of it all when I came to her and told her that I would no longer be her partner, or her _‘handsome worker bee’_ as Snow puts it. She didn’t take to kindly to me threatening her for putting Katniss into fear for her family. But at the end of the Coin agreed to withdraw the contract we were in together, if I stopped working with Snow and another small price; my business.

It wasn’t a hard decision to hand it over to her, my business caused me a lot of pain and personal sacrifice, and if I’m being honest I’m glad to be rid of it. I still have an ungodly amount of money in my savings account, more than someone my age would even know what to do this. And I have plans for Katniss and I once we leave Los Angeles.

“You’re making a mistake Peeta,” Coin said as I signed the last document.

“Then it’s the best mistake I’ll ever make.”

“You could do so much with your life but that girl is just going to drag you down and suck out all your money while she’s at it.”

“No Alma, that’s what you were doing. I am no longer your puppet to manipulate anymore to break apart other people’s lives. “

“It’s nothing personal, its business.”

“Exactly. Have a nice life, Alma.”

My heart can barely stay contained in my chest as I ride the elevator up to my hotel room. Katniss agreed to stay there with my for the remainder of the time I have it booked. It’s a lot nicer than the apartment she shares with Johanna, but it’s not home for either of us.

I swipe my key card and enter the grand living area, fully expecting to see Katniss in little to no clothing waiting for me to make love to her like I promised I would as soon as I returned. What I didn’t expect to see is a man on top of a struggling Katniss with his hand over her mouth and nose as she fights to get free. _Crane._


	12. Chapter Twelve.

“Why can’t you just e-mail that bitch the documents then be done with the whole thing, then you can spend the last day in this wonderful penthouse suite with your head between my legs, like you love so much.”

I lay it on sweetly, trailing a single fingertip over my naked breasts and spreading my legs wide for Peeta to see while he brushes back his unruly curls with a comb. I watch as his eye darken and his black slacks begin to tent, then he lets out a few deep breaths and turns away.

“Trust me, I’d much rather hide away from the world with you than see Alma this one last time, but it has to be done. I just want to be rid of this lifestyle forever.”

I let out a loud, dramatic sigh but close my legs and wrap the bed sheet around my body. “Fine, but as soon as you get home, you’re mine Mellark.”

“Always,” Peeta grins and kisses me sweetly before grabbing his suit jacket off the hanger.

We say our goodbyes; making out against the door like lovesick fools. And once Peeta leaves I have to force myself not to follow him. I have very mixed emotions about how I feel about this; falling so hard and so quickly for Peeta. Especially since this started out as just a business deal with me being the prostitute and him being the big, bad, money mongrel. But nonetheless I did and I can’t stop myself from falling even harder if that’s even possible.

I want to share my life with Peeta. Take him home to meet Prim and even my mother. I want to do all that couple shit that I normally repulse: getting nasty looks from elders while involved in public display of affection, lazy Sundays, walks in the park. Fuck, I’ve even caught myself wondering what our kids might look life if God forbid Peeta ever talks me into wanting kids.

There is a knock on the door while I’m eating my bowl of yogurt and mixed fruit that room service prepared for me. I wrap my robe tightly around me; I still haven’t gotten dressed seeing as soon as Peeta steps through the door they’ll just be off again, and look through the peephole. Seneca Crane is rocking on the balls of his feet on the other side.

“Mr. Crane,” I say surprised as soon as I open the door.

“Miss. Everdeen,” he greets me and I don’t miss how his eyes quickly look me up and down.

“I’m sorry but Peeta isn’t here right now. He went to the office; I would have figured you’d be there. I think Mr. Snow is.”

“Oh no, I came to see you.”

Crane sidesteps me into the large living area and takes a look around be returning his gaze back towards me.

“I’m confused, why would you come to see me?”

To make myself look less frightened I take a seat on a loveseat and gesture for Crane to take a seat across from me. He does sit, only Crane sits uncomfortable close to me on the same couch.

“Well you see, a lot of things happened when Peeta decided to breach his contract with Ms. Coin. Snow decided that I would no longer be of service because he is no longer in threat of losing his business. That put me out of a job essentially until Alma came along and offered me something I just couldn’t refuse.”

“And what did she offer you?”

Crane develops a wicked grin, much more sinister than one I thought he’d ever be capable of. “You.”

“Me?” I ask completely baffled.

“Yes. She gave me a hefty sum of money to make sure I put you in your place.”

“Put me in my place, and where is that exactly?” I try to stay calm but I am starting to crack. I hope Peeta comes home soon.

“Where do all prostitutes eventually end?”

“Prison?”

“And where else?”

I refuse to answer him. I refuse to give him that satisfaction over me. Instead I go to run towards the front door. Crane seemed to sense what I was about to do and his arm wrap around my waist and brings me down to the floor.

Crane lies on top of me; I can feel his erection grinding against my thigh and his scratchy beard against my cheek. “I’m going to kill you Katniss but first I am going to fuck you.”

I will not go down without fighting. I thrash about, flailing my ligaments around like a flopping fish making it difficult for Crane to keep me still, silent and try to get his pants down. I keep at it no matter how many times Crane hits me and squeezes my wrists.

Tears stream down my face once Crane finally gaining the upper hand, using his weight and his legs to keep me from moving too much. Still when he tries to kiss me, I lash my head about. Crane ignores this small defeat by shimming out of his slacks then using one hand to glide his erection against my slit.

I let out a scream but it’s silenced by Crane’s other hand clamping down on my mouth and nose, keeping me silent but also cutting off my oxygen source. My arms are however free and I begin to thrash around once more because I want it to be clear to the medical examiner that I didn’t go down without fighting with all that I had.

“This is all you’re good for. You’re nothing but a dirty whore. Stop fucking moving and take it like the little bitch you are,” he slews.

If my mouth wasn’t covered I’d probably spit in his face, but I settle for trying to punch at his sides while he takes his cock back in his hand.

“What the fuck?”

Crane jumps at the sound of a third person in the room. I look up towards the front door to see Peeta standing there staring down at us. But it’s not Peeta, not really. The Peeta I know is nice and caring and has a certain appeal to him. This Peeta is entirely different; terrifying.

One minute Crane is on top of me and the next minute he’s being thrown onto his back like a five pound bag of potatoes.

“Call the police,” Peeta growls at me before straddling Crane and punching him square in the face. “I’m going to fucking kill you,” he spits at Crane who now has blood running out of both of his nostrils.

When the police show up they have to pull Peeta off of the now unconscious man and restrain him while they escort Crane out of the suite via stretcher. I tell a female police officer everything that happened while an EMT checks my vitals.

I look over at Peeta as another EMT treats his bloodied knuckles. Our eyes meet and I see nothing but sadness.

“It doesn’t appear that you have any lasting injuries, just a couple bumps and bruises,” the EMT states to me.

“No lasting injuries! She’s going to mentally scarred for life!” Peeta shouts. “I want that fucking pig dead!”

“He’ll be charged and punished accordingly, Mr. Mellark,” the officer says trying to defuse his anger.

“It won’t be good enough,” he mutters.

“Miss. Everdeen, you’ll need to give another statement at the station.”

“Now?”

“We can wait until tomorrow,” she replies kindly.

They let themselves out just as they let themselves in. Now it’s just Peeta and I and I’ve never felt so uncomfortable in my life. Peeta is still in a rage, slamming random things and pacing around the living room while I stand in the same spot I have been for the last hour, still in my robe.

Tears silently slip down my cheeks. I knew that all of this was too good to be true. I knew that a knight in shiny armor was a character in stupid children’s books.  I’m just damaged goods now, Peeta said it himself; mentally scarred. He doesn’t want that, he probably never even did.

I finally gather the courage to leave my post and enter the bedroom to pack a small bag for me to take home. Just a few mementos that will remind me of this mostly blissful week, things that will make me remember Peeta forever; yet I doubt that I’ll ever forget him on my own.

As soon as I’m finished Peeta enters the bedroom and surveys my suitcase.

“Where are you going?”

“Home,” I state, though I’m not sure where home is anymore. I moved out of Johanna’s place and she already has a new roommate, and I couldn’t go to my mom’s, I’m not ready for that yet. Peeta gives me a confused look because he knows all of this and I claimed just this morning that he was my home now. “It’s okay Peeta. I understand.”

“Understand what?”

“I’m mentally scarred now and you don’t want damaged goods. It’s okay really, don’t feel bad.”

“But-“

“No really, it’s fine. Just thank you for showing me things that I didn’t know existed.”

I go to leave when Peeta grabs my forearm. His grip is a little harsh and Peeta senses that he’s hurting me and immediately loosens his fingers. “Katniss stop assuming that I don’t want you.”

“What?”

“You’re not damaged goods, you’re perfect. You’ll always be perfect and I’ll always want you.”

“But you said,” I start but stop once Peeta starts to shake his head.

“I didn’t mean it like that. It’s that you were almost raped. Katniss, if I had stopped to get lunch or something, I’d have come back to a completely different scene. He was so close,” I can see the fear in Peeta’s eyes as he pictures what would have happened if he walked through the door a half a second later. “He hurt you when I was supposed to protect you. I said that I would!”

I wrap my arms around Peeta’s neck tightly to comfort him. “Shh, it’s okay. I don’t need protecting Peeta; don’t put that pressure on yourself.”

“But you couldn’t protect yourself from him.”

“I know, but you saved me. Everything is alright. The police got him, he’ll tell him that he was paid by Coin and she’ll go to prison right along with him. Then no one can hurt either of us, okay?”

Peeta nods in agreement but says, “I should kill her. Prison would be too kind.”

I don’t have a reply to Peeta’s statement. I know that he’s not the killing type; he’s probably never even held a deadly weapon in his life before. Instead I pull myself closer to him and allow his hard body and steady heartbeat anchor me in place to keep me slipping into the dangerous images of Seneca Crane on top of me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one more chapter left. I'm planning on writing another everlark story, I'm just not sure what I want it to be about. I have so many ideas jumbled up in my head. Should I start the other Everlark fic that I have posted or should I do something else, like daddy!peeta or badboy!peeta? Or if you have a suggestion message me on tumblr (tributeforthewolfpack) or comment! Love you all!


	13. Chapter Thirteen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually didn't want this to end. That's why it took so long to post it. But thank you to everyone that kept with me, I love you all!

It took me eight times before Katniss finally said yes to marry me. The first time was when we first moved to her hometown, not far from her childhood home where her mother and Prim still live right after Crane and Coin made their plea deals and we were free to leave the city. I took her to this fancy five-star restaurant, had the ring sitting on a plate for our dessert. She smiled when she saw the ring but said nothing else until we finally got home where she told me flat out no. The second time was a few months after that, a different fancy restaurant and the ring was at the bottom of a champagne flute, but the answer was the same; no.

So I waited another six months and I asked her a third time. Totally different tactic, I just took the ring and put it on her finger at breakfast. Katniss didn’t say anything; she didn’t even take it off when she went to school. But when she came back the next night she handed me a wad of cash and the ring was missing from her finger. She had gotten a full refund for the ring and didn’t even ask me beforehand. That was the first night since officially living together that we went to bed anger at each other. I hated it and it made me sick to my stomach, and around midnight I ended up waking Katniss up in a fit of tears asking her why she didn’t want to marry me. I didn’t get a reply, only really good make up sex.

I only waited three months until asking Katniss again for her hand in marriage. Everything was going good. The bakery was booming, getting busier and busier by the day. She had just graduated early with an associate’s degree and was starting a job as a biology lab technician, looking for ways to keep our waters clean or something equally as green. I generally thought that it was the right time. But of course, Katniss said no.

Katniss got pregnant after two years of being together. She didn’t want the baby, she even thought seriously about abortion. That has been our biggest fight to date. I wasn’t going to let her kill my child, her body or not, that baby growing inside her was just as much mine as it was hers. We didn’t talk for a week straight; I started sleeping at the bakery. Katniss called me crying saying that she went to the doctors without me, with the intention of getting rid of it, but when she saw the ultrasound of the little bean growing insider her she broke down in tears. I came home immediately and we cried together.

Rosie Mellark was born nine months later; all six and a half pounds, seventeen inches of her. Rosie is the spitting image of Katniss with the exception of my blue eyes. She even had Katniss’ scowl down pat by the time we brought her home from the hospital.

I asked Katniss again that night. After we laid Rosie down in her bassinette, I got down on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage. I wasn’t even surprised that she said no. And when I argued that we had a kid so we need to get married, she argued back that since we already have a kid there was no way of getting rid of each other now since kids were more of a permanent thing. I didn’t protest.

I stopped asking. I decided that when and if Katniss was ready, she could ask me. I even told her one morning when Rosie was a month old. Katniss smiled and rolled her eyes. I should have been annoyed but it was Katniss and everything she does I find cute.

A whole four years go by when we find out Katniss is pregnant again. I forwent my deal with myself and asked Katniss to marry me again. This time I got a not yet, which it sadly hopeful in my case.

Aran Mellark was a whooping nine pounds, twenty point three inches long when he was first born. Like Rosie took after Katniss, Aran definitely took after me. Except now Rosie was much more personable, like me, whereas you could already tell that Aran would be quiet like Katniss. They both have too much fire in them like their mother.

Prim fought her last battle with cancer when Aran was only a few months old. It was expected because she had fallen downhill in the last few months, but that didn’t stop neither Katniss nor I from falling apart. I held myself together the best I could for the sake of the kids, but it wasn’t easy juggling a four year old and a three month old, a business, a depressed girlfriend and her mother, along with funeral arrangements. I was quickly losing it.

I made the mistake of using Prim’s death as an excuse to get married. I told Katniss that if she had just said yes to my other six proposals then Prim would have been able to see her big sister get married. And that was the only thing Prim really wanted; to see us married and for Katniss to be happy. Katniss threw a fit, breaking things and cursing. In a fit of rage, Katniss told me that maybe she wouldn’t be happy if she married me, and then stormed out.

I really thought that was it. Katniss wouldn’t talk to me at the funeral. Just hugged and kissed the kids, who she hadn’t seen in days after her disappearance. And when the wake was over, I tried to talk to her but Katniss just shook her head as she fought back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. A full week went by with no contact. I had to hire help with the kids just so I could attempt to sleep, even though I knew it was useless. I couldn’t sleep unless I was tangled up in Katniss. But finally while I was scrambling to make dinner, Katniss appeared in the kitchen. It looked like she hadn’t showered since the funeral, much less ate, drank, or slept. I called the babysitter and asked her if she could take the kids just for a few hours, so they wouldn’t see Katniss looking like she’s at deaths door.

I nursed Katniss back to health that night. First with a long, hot bath, which she cried during the entire time, murmuring her apologies then with soup. I laid her into bed and curled my body around hers. She began to cry again, telling me that I was right and she should have just sucked it up so Prim could have seen us get married. That really hurt, because I didn’t really mean that. I was just upset about everything. And of course what Katniss said about not being happy with me wasn’t true either, she just felt attacked and under pressure.

Katniss confessed about her fears of marriage. Her mother all but stopped living when her father died, the only person stopping her from becoming a shell was Prim and the cancer. Katniss thought up some crazy thing that if I somehow died, it wouldn’t hurt as much not being married as it would being married. It also doesn’t help that she still has fears that I would come to my senses and drop her for being a former prostitute because I am too good for her and Katniss doesn’t deserve me or something crazy like that.  I’m not sure if I fully convinced Katniss that I wasn’t going anywhere and I don’t care about her past, I have a sketchy past too that she doesn’t care about, but we managed to agree that we wouldn’t even bring up marriage until we were both ready for it.

I didn’t even plan the last proposal, if that is what you call it. Rosie was six and Aran was two when we decided to have our very first camping trip. Katniss took us to the place that her and her father used to frequent when she was younger. Rosie and Katniss swam out into the middle of the lake while Aran and I stayed near the shore until it was time for Aran’s nap and for me to start dinner.

It was way past the normal bedtime when Rosie was telling me all about her swimming adventures and how she found most of the Katniss root that we cooked up with dinner as we all sat around the fire that was dwindling down. Aran had falling asleep against Katniss’ chest, snoring lightly. I had caught Katniss staring at me with a look that I hadn’t really seen before. And I don’t know what came over me but I just asked her nonchalantly, as if I was asking her about the weather. I should have been surprised when Katniss finally answered my question with a yes but it was like I already knew that she was going to yes it. And we just went back to listening to Rosie telling her stories until she couldn’t keep her eyes open for more than four second intervals.

We put the kids into their sleeping bags in the tent and in out for a late night dip in the water. Our gently kisses led to I think the best sex anyone has ever had, though sex with Katniss has always been the best anyone has ever had.

We had a very small, intimate wedding at the church Katniss’ parents were married in. Katniss had surprised me with my family showing up; my parents and brother along with their wives and kids. I apologized to my family, mainly my dad and brothers, shortly after opening up my own bakery. Katniss and I even took a weekend trip up to see them and we sent Christmas cards of the kids, but that was all the contact that ever was between us. So when my dad came to greet me in my dressing room in the church, I couldn’t believe it.

My dad had said that Katniss called and told him about our engagement and that she didn’t have anyone to walk her down the aisle and that she wouldn’t mind walking alone, but it would mean a lot to me if my father did the honors. Of course Katniss was right and I was a mess even before the wedding march started to play.

“What are you thinking about?” Katniss asks me, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I smile. With eighteen years of being together and five years of marriage, one might think that they’d get used to sitting around the table eating dinner with their family, but I haven’t. “Just thinking about how much I love you.”

“Gross,” Aran stuck out his tongue. At seven, Aran is much more interested in his army men and crossbow than the story of how much his parents love each other.

“One day, you’ll have a wife almost at gorgeous as your mother and sister, and then you’ll understand what it’s like to be in love,” I tell him.

“Almost?” Rosie asks with her dark hair swept into a side braid.

“Yes almost, because you and your mother and the most gorgeous girls in the entire world.”

“No they aren’t. McKenzie down the street is. I’m going to marry her when I’m old.”

I laugh at my son. He may have Katniss’ love for everything outdoors but he’s a hopeless romantic much like myself. “You better start asking her now, Son. It took me seven tries, two kids, and a full six years before your mother finally agreed to marry me.”

“And was it worth the wait?” Katniss arches an eyebrow.

“Every second of it,” my grin reaches from ear to ear.

The kids are bathed and sent to bed soon after dinner ended leaving Katniss and I with much needed alone time. We don’t get much of it with the kids, but we get more now that they are older and becoming more independent.

“I still don’t believe this is real,” I whisper into the dimly lit living room.

“What do you mean?” Katniss turns in my arms to look at me.

“I keep thinking that I’m going to wake up in the Ritz hotel room having dreamt up this entire thing.”

“I don’t think your dreams could ever be as good as your reality,” Katniss kisses me sweetly. Our lips connecting and soon our tongues. 

I break the kiss and murmur against Katniss’ lips, “I don’t know, real life can’t possibly be as good as this.”

Katniss climbs onto my lap, straddling my legs and begins kissing me with more passion. When Katniss begins to grind against my fast growing erection I let out a low groan. It’s been over a week since the last time we’d been intimate, and the last time being a quick blow job in the shower before work.

I can’t take any chances of one of the kids coming downstairs for a glass of water and seeing their parents in the middle of intense love making, so I wrap Katniss’ legs around my waist as I stand from the couch and ascend the stairs one step at a time.

Naked and sticky with sweat, Katniss and I are tangled limbs trying to catch our breath.

“Peeta?” Katniss speaks after moments of silence.

“Hm?” I answer, my eyes heavy with sleep.

“This is real.”

_fin._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out my two new everlark fics!


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